


Contract

by metamorcy



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drama, Dysfunctional Family, Family Drama, Iemitsu is a bastard, M/M, Past Abuse, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-05-11
Updated: 2014-07-28
Packaged: 2017-12-11 12:22:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 35
Words: 133,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/798684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/metamorcy/pseuds/metamorcy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU, Earth and Meraviglie are two worlds interconnected by an invisible barrier that holds them together and is also used to travel in-between. However, this information is only known to a selected few. The people of Earth with the ability to make pacts are called Capturers are able to head down to Meraviglie using a manmade portal and there they can make pacts with the residents in the other world, some forceful and others in benefit. Tsuna having this ability goes to a special school to learn everything he needs to know about the other world and his abilities, however, after two years of being there, never once has he made a successful pact. For this, he's been ridiculed and teased. But one day, all that changes when he stumbles across a humanoid man with a fedora hat, Arcobaleno27, main R27</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Tsuna sighed. He was here again. Back in this very same spot. The wilderness around stared right at him, nothing had changed at all. The trees were still purple with green leaves sprouting out from its branches, its odd vines crawling up whatever it touched, there were still multi-colored flowers decorating the ground, and the sky was still blue with pink clouds floating along. There were noises of animals from the bushes, the leaves rustling at any movement, and if he listened really closely, he could hear the rushing sound of water in the distance.

He grumbled to himself. He had been forced to take the test again, to see if he would be able to form a pact with one of the residents of this world, Meraviglie. This world and the world he lived on, which was Earth, were interconnected by an invisible pathway. This pathway acted as a barrier to prevent the two worlds from seeing and touching each other, but at the same time, granted the people of both worlds the ability to travel between them. Those from his world created manmade portals called Cremils in multiple places that would allow the people of Earth to go over.

However, only certain people were able to. These people needed to have the ability to create pacts, a special magic that was generally passed down by genes, but it wasn't uncommon to find a person who wasn't related to a carrier able to do so. These people, very few in numbers, were allowed to go to Meraviglie and gain pacts with the residents in that world. What they did with these pacts was left up to them, but many companies and people wanted to hire these Capturers, people that can make pacts, for protection and other reasons.

A pact is more like a contract between the two people. The Capturer generally had to battle, either physically or in smarts, depending on the opponent, and if the Meraviglian decided that the Earthling was worth it, would agree to the terms. Sometimes the pact was forced, like if a person beat the other into submission, and sometimes it was mutual where they had an equal agreement. An example would be that the Capturer wanted someone to protect him while the Assurer, another name for a Meraviglian in a pact, wanted to travel. They could easily benefit from the pact.

But no matter what, or how the professors and scholars tried to flower it all up, it sounded like slavery to Tsuna. The brunet wasn't the type of person that could do these sorts of things. He didn't want to enslave anyone. He didn't want to make anyone miserable because of something he had done. He just wanted to go home, go back to his previous life, despite his obvious failure.

In truth, Tsuna had no talent for this. He wasn't physically strong or smart or anything. He just wasn't good really and was known as Dame-Tsuna to everyone in his school. Though he was twenty-one, he never really succeeded in life. His middle and high school grades were just barely passing, enough to get him by with his life. He was lucky enough to get into an art and culinary school, though not the best, and it was something he was completely delighted in.

By the time he was nineteen, he was still living with his mom even after passing high school and going to college. It wasn't until that time when his father came home to drop him off at Relinquish University, a hidden school that only accepted those with pact abilities, that his life was turned upside down. He had been forced to live here in the dormitory and surrender to multiple tests that had many times given him serious injuries. This wasn't a place he wanted to be. He wanted to go home and go back to his old college.

Sighing to himself, Tsuna settled onto a rock in the middle of the open field, a place he had been coming to ever since he had found it a year ago. He watched as petals from the glowing flowers fluttered up into the air, getting caught in the wind and flying away. It was a beautiful site, quite mesmerizing, and he wouldn't mind sitting here the whole day. If he had a camera or some paper with him, he would love to keep this scene in his memory forever. But he wasn't allowed to bring any devices or items unless it was approved by the school.

Of course, that didn't mean he had something better to do. All the other students were out running around, many with each other, while he remained here on his own.

After being forced by his father and grandfather to come to this school, he realized that they were trying to make him gain a few pacts to help with the family business. His father didn't have the ability and required someone else to do so to keep things running. Tsuna sighed at the mention of his father. His father's side of the family ran a large organization that had been passed down by generations and were expecting him to contribute into it.

However, when they realized that Tsuna was completely useless to them, they wanted him to at least get a decent bodyguard so that they wouldn't have to waste money protecting him. It also didn't help him that they were actually the ones that ran the school. He wasn't allowed to escape from this cage and he had long given up. His family just had too much influence on his world. His older brothers were just like his father and grandfather, both powerful people, and he was the black sheep, weak and helpless. He was too clumsy for his own good, always tripping over nothing and dragging down anything he touched with him.

And because of that, his brothers remained away, far away from him. The only person that still talked to him was his mother, but that wasn't much. She had been quite horrified to find her youngest son wasn't worth much to the family despite his special ability. He had no friends, his classmates didn't even want to be near him, and if they did, it was just to bully him and ridicule him for being so weak. It wasn't his fault. He didn't want to be here.

And so for two years, he had been doing the same thing continuously and yet nothing had ever changed. He would come to this world two to three times a week with the rest of the class to see if he could make a pact. Everyone else had and went up the next step, which was to take on missions and tests. And he was left behind.

Perhaps it was his fate to be alone forever.

Tsuna tilted his head, hearing a soft crack from his neck. He had been keeping his head in that same position for too long and his back was starting to ache as well. Well, at least here, he didn't have anyone ridiculing him for being so pathetic.

"What's this? Isn't that Dame-Tsuna?"

Or not.

The brunet with soft looking hair that defied gravity twisted around to see a bunch of his classmates that were standing behind him. Flinching at the sight of them, Tsuna couldn't help but take a step back. He didn't want any trouble. "Um… Hi."

"What are you doing here? Lazing around?" one of them snickered, making the others follow the same way.

"Ah…no, I was…just admiring the flowers. They're pretty." Tsuna felt a cold sweat run down his back, every instinct in his body told him to run, and he made a shift in his legs that let them know to be ready for any sudden act.

"Flowers? Do you hear that?" They laughed. "You're such an idiot. If you have that much free time, maybe you should gain a pact. Oh, that's right, you're too stupid to get one. Why are you even here in the first place?"

"It's his family. His family's so famous, so big, and yet, Tsuna here is pathetic. He's nothing like them. Useless. That's why they sent him here. It's so that they don't have to watch over him. They can pay the teachers to play babysitter."

"Oh, you're right!"

Tsuna could feel his will lowering at those words. He already knew all of that. Using the chance while his classmates were talking about him, he turned around and ran for his life. There was a startled yell from behind but he didn't bother looking back. He had to get away, he had to. A terrible feeling from the bottom of his stomach bubbled up to tell him that his classmates wouldn't hesitate using their Assurers to hurt him. And just as he disappeared into the forest, he felt different presences behind him that were odd. Taking a glance back, he could see his classmate's creatures coming after him. The residents that dwelled in this world were different. Some looked human, others like monsters, and there were those like looked like they had come right out of a fairytale. It was amazing to see them, well, as long as they weren't trying to kill him, of course.

Racing through the woods, he made his way around, familiar with this area. The creatures behind kept up though, and he was afraid that they would actually catch him. Hiding behind trees and rocks or anything he could find, he waited and snuck around, hoping that he could be left along. The creatures were persistent however, and they were ordered to, so they _had_ to follow.

'Tired… I'm so tired,' Tsuna thought to himself. He was exhausted from running for such a long time. He wanted nothing more than to collapse on the ground and sleep. Sweat ran down his face, his breathing was labored, and his muscles were burning. He hadn't run like this since forever. Finally settling down behind a tree, he leaned against it and sighed, listening to the surrounding area. His ears didn't pick up any sounds, just the usual sounds of the forest. Taking that as a victory, that he had managed to get away, he relaxed slightly, hoping to gain some strength back.

Of course, it was only short lived.

"Found ya."

Tsuna jumped at that, twisting his head to look above him. There, up on the tree was one of the creatures. It was hideous looking, something that seemed to come out of a nightmare. The brunet held in a scream and pushed himself against the tree, hoping that would make him disappear. The monster's claws reached out towards him, scratching lightly across his face.

Letting out a little whimper, he tore away from the grasp and was off running again. He didn't get very far though as two more creatures popped out of the bushes, effectively surrounding him. Tsuna shivered and brought his arms out before him defensively. He was doomed, he knew it. There was no way out of this.

"Our masters desire for you to be punished. We'll fulfill it. I wonder how much we can tear off of your human body in order to satisfy our Capturers," they giggled, speaking words similar to his classmates. Tears formed in his eyes. He was really doomed this time.

"Do you really have to do this?" Tsuna whispered, letting out a little squeak in response. His skin paled and he swallowed roughly just imagining how bad he'd be looking soon. There were some giggles from the creatures that let him know that not only were they ordered, but they too wanted to do this as well.

_Bang!_

Tsuna flinched at the abrupt sound, his ears tingling at the intensity, and blinked his eyes in shock. He watched as the creature before him screamed in agony, a large gaping hole in the center of its body, where the heart should have been. Tsuna's eyes widened at the sight, watching thick droplets of blood flow down that space. Eventually, the body began to dissolve into flakes of ashes, the wind catching it and swishing it away. The other monsters made a gurgling sound before backing off, running away into the forest to disappear and to return to their masters.

Tsuna stood in the same spot before collapsing to the ground, taking a deep breath. Relief washed over him. He was free of those things. Sighing, he closed his eyes for a moment and then looked around for whomever or whatever had saved him. But there was no one around but trees.

Getting up back up, he tilted his head. 'Is it hiding? Guess so.' Taking a few steps forward, towards the direction where he had caught sight of the bullet, he spoke, "Thank you." Making a small bow in gratitude, he listened for any sounds but there was nothing. Taking another look one more time, he sighed once more and slowly walked off, heading back to the open area he was used to being at.

He doubted his classmates would still be there, after all, they needed to do their missions or find more minions to make pacts out of. That and the one that just had their Assurer killed would probably be heading to a clinic right now. Apparently whenever a pact was forcefully broken, generally when the Assurer dies, the pact holder felt the pain of the death. Strangely, it didn't work the other way around.

There was a rustle. Tsuna lifted his head up a little at that, pausing in his steps. He listened again but didn't hear the sound. Shrugging his shoulders, Tsuna went back to walking until he reached his little spot and just as he thought, it was clear. Tsuna immediately settled back into his usual spot and leaned back against the rock that was in the center, taking in the view. His caramel-colored eyes drifted into the dark spots of the forest that was surrounding him, wondering if whatever had saved him was still there. Well, his mind believed so and something was telling him that there was a pair of eyes peering right at his face. Cradling his legs against his body, he buried his face into them and closed his eyes.

'How much longer do I have here?' Tsuna thought absently to himself. Time continued here the same way as it did in his world. They corresponded with each other and aged the same way. But the residents of this world's time flowed differently, some went by like a normal human being, other's slower, and some faster. It was odd but rather intruding.

Then a dark voice broke through his thoughts, sounding like a mist of darkness, brushing against him. "So you're a Capturer."


	2. Chapter 2

Then a dark voice broke through his thoughts, sounding like a mist of darkness, brushing against him. "So you're a Capturer." Tsuna jumped at that, searching the forest for anything, but all he could see were trees and more trees. Shadows decorated the area, giving the forest plenty of areas to hide in, and one's imagination could easily go wild at the sight. The brunet tried to calm himself down and managed to pull together enough to recognize that the voice was deep, a male, and it sounded a bit husky if he thought more about it. "Not much of one though. Couldn't even fight off those weaker ones."

Tsuna flushed at that and stared down at his feet as if they were the most interesting things in the world. He felt compelled to answer the other, but not to defend himself since he knew better than anyone else that it was the complete truth. He wasn't really fit for this type of stuff, he knew that. "I'm not really a Capturer. Well, I'm supposed to be, but I'm not much of one. If you're looking for a fight, I can bring you to someone that might be more worth the battle."

There was a pause and as Tsuna waited for something, anything, the wind blew by rustling the leaves gently. His bangs shifted at that, a few strands hitting his cheeks, and twitched at the soft touches. More petals from the flowers at his feet flew up, dancing around with its multi-colors. Finally, the Meraviglian answered, "I'm not here for a fight."

"O-Oh…" Tilting his head, the brunet bit his bottom lip. "Then what are you here for?"

There was no response to that and Tsuna sighed. What was he supposed to say to someone that didn't seem to talk much? Well, he never really had anyone talk to him like this before. It was odd and unfamiliar. He honestly didn't know how to converse with someone different than him without feeling inferior, years of ridicule and bullying affecting him greatly. Still, Tsuna realized that this person must have been the one that saved him and he didn't sense any threat from the other, despite the darkness that was radiating from the voice and the fact that the person was hiding in the woods.

"Um… It was probably you that saved me right? T-Thank you."

There an amused noise in response, it was as if the person had snorted. "Aren't you courteous? Saying something to a person that could very well kill you."

That made the brunet pause. "Oh…"

"Didn't think much on that, did you?"

"N-No."

There was a silence and Tsuna went back to sitting on the rock. He could hear the wind blow by, the leaves rustling again. Tsuna immediately wrapped his arms around his body, shivering at the sudden coldness, and then it was gone. The temperature was back to normal, just like that. He didn't think much on it since it was considered normal to this world. During the conversation, he managed to pinpoint exactly where the voice was coming from, it wasn't hard when they kept talking like this.

Regardless, that didn't help his situation very much. "Are you…going to kill me?"

"Who knows? Probably not worth it."

'Well, this is awkward…,' Tsuna thought, scratching the side of his face. What was he supposed to do next? Leave? But he still had a lot of time left in this world. Shifting down to the bottom of the rock, he leaned against the hard surface to stare at the sky. A single bird flew across the heavens, but he knew from the distance that its real size was bigger than his own body. Closing his eyes, he felt like sleeping except it was a bit tough when his mind was ringing with danger. "Are you still there?"

"Of course, idiot."

"Are you going to stand there the entire time?"

"Sure, why not."

Tsuna grumbled, pouting at that. Looked like he wouldn't be left alone anytime soon, not that it bothered him. He was curious about his savior. Perhaps the Meraviglian wanted something from him? The brunet automatically shook his head at that, what would anyone want from him?

Shifting his position again so that he was more comfortable against the rock, Tsuna decided that if the person was going to remain there, they might as well talk. "Well, are you going to come out? I mean, it'll be easier to talk face to face then face to…whoever or whatever you are." He raised his hands up to place them onto his lap, wondering how the Meraviglian looked like. It was at that passing thought that he suddenly remembered about something. Not all the residents here were friendly looking after all. Some of them were hideous monsters while others didn't even have a form at all. He had seen a few whenever his classmates called upon their Assurers and he would always cower at the sight of some of them, hiding far behind so that he couldn't see them all that well. "Unless you're really hideous and will scare the living crap out of me, p-please don't come out!"

There was a deep chuckle, in amusement Tsuna noted. "I highly doubt I'm anywhere hideous. Instead, I get a lot of complaints on my good looks. There's at times a line of people just waiting to get a good eyeful of me."

"Are you sure that's not your imagination talking? Cause I've heard that line spoken many times." Tsuna smiled softly, unable to help himself at making small jokes and using sarcasm. It just felt right, like he was meant to talk like this. It was a feeling he didn't have very often, no, rarely since he was always so afraid of someone beating him up or the trouble he would get into by the professors for doing something wrong. It was really nice and he enjoyed it. "Anyway, I'm Tsuna, short for Tsunayoshi."

The resident of this world huffed at that and stepped out from the shadows, entering the light of the sky and sun. The brunet's eyes widened at the sight, taking in the extremely good looks the other had. The creature, no, _person_ before him was exceptionally handsome and had a strong dangerous aura radiating off of him. Glancing from top to bottom, Tsuna took note of the black yellow-striped fedora on top of a mass of spiky black hair that was peeking out from underneath. Dark stone hard eyes bore at the brunet and next to them were curly sideburns that bounced slightly as the person stepped closer into the opening of the field. The features were sharp and clean, the suit the man was wearing was flat without a single wrinkle in sight. Dressed classically as if coming out of a movie or something, Tsuna could almost feel his mouth dropping. The man was terribly attractive! And that man definitely knew it too! No wonder the person could say those words so confidently about people lining up just to see him. Tsuna could definitely see it happening. The Meraviglian smirked at the reaction he gained at his mere presence and flicked his fedora upward before speaking a small greeting, "Chaos."

"I take that back." Raising his hands up in defeat, Tsuna smiled softly. "I guess you had some backing to that."

The man chuckled, his eyes narrowing just slightly when he did that, and crossed his arms against his chest. He tilted his head slightly to the right, shifting his position in return. "But of course. The name's Reborn."

"It's nice to meet you."

Reborn took a few more steps until he was in front of the brunet and stared down. His dark eyes observed the young man, watching for any strange movement. But he saw nothing, just a defenseless person whose weak smiles were completely emotionless. There wasn't a single emotion flowing through the brunet. He kneeled down in front of the other, reaching out towards him. "Let me see your right arm."

Before giving the chance for the other to reply or even react, the dark-haired man snatched the said arm. Tsuna squeaked as he felt his poor limb get yanked forward but didn't resist the movement, letting Reborn do whatever he wanted. He knew exactly why the other wanted to see it, normally whenever a pact was made, a symbol would appear on the right arm, almost looking like a tattoo. Each person's was different depending on the Capturer's personality and preferences. He had seen a few in his classes whenever he caught a glimpse of his classmates' markings. There were skulls, Chinese symbols, flowers, and many more. Some were combined together, others by itself. Reborn rolled the school uniform's sleeve up and examined the pale skin, nothing was on it, and no tattoo meant no contract.

Generally, when a pact is made between two, whatever symbol was on the Capturer's arm would appear at the same place on the Assurer. It was to show proof that they were in a contract and that the Assurer would only answer to the other. It was an odd relationship between the two, Tsuna would many times think.

"So what's a Capturer doing here all by himself without a single pact with him?" The older man released his grasp on the fragile-looking arm, watching at the brunet rolled down the sleeves. The warm careful touch of Reborn's fingers on his bare skin seemed to burn but it wasn't terrible…just uncomfortable.

"I have some classmates here too…but they left without me like usual," Tsuna answered truthfully, not bothering to lie. He had a strong gut feeling that trying to lie to the other would be pointless. By the way those dark calculating eyes would stare at him, it wasn't hard to notice. Still, even though Reborn looked dangerous, Tsuna felt like no harm would be done to him. He didn't know why but the whispers in his head that echoed in his mind kept concluding that.

"And the ones that were chasing you before?"

"They're Assurers contracted by three of my classmates."

Reborn raised an eyebrow at that.

The brunet automatically answered, already knowing the question that was running through the other man's head. It didn't take much to tell. "I don't really get along with any of my classmates. They kinda…don't like me."

"I can tell. And why are you so stupid enough to come here without any protection?"

Tsuna looked away from the eyes, not feeling comfortable at the way they seemed to bore into his soul. He stared down at the ground and then settled further back against the rock. "Well, I never really bothered with the whole thing. I don't like to force people into pacts. It's just I don't have much of a choice but to come here and do what I'm told." Tsuna gave a small smile at that, looking up at the other for a moment. "I'm pretty useless so you don't have much to worry about from me."

"I realized that." Reborn shifted his position a bit and pointed at Tsuna's right arm. "You don't have the pact mark on your arm, means no pact. And at the same time, you obviously have nothing to protect yourself. I'm quite surprised that you've managed to survive this long without getting killed." He had noted the bruised skin on the brunet, hidden underneath the white uniform, with some of that discoloration managing to peek through the fabric. They were definitely not self inflicted and many looked way too impossible to be done by a hand. Some looked recent like they had been done yesterday, others days ago. 'Bullied, huh? Should have suspected that after what happened earlier today.' Mentally shrugging his shoulders, he didn't bother going any deeper. It was probably best to change the subject now; it wasn't as if he was going to see this person again. There was no point in doing so. "If I remember correctly, whenever a pact is made, the Assurer will show the same marking as the Capturer. But for the later, the edges of it shift at each new additional pact, correct?"

Tsuna nodded his head, glad that the other had changed subjects, he didn't exactly feel all that comfortable with how things were going. "Yeah. You can have almost an unlimited number of Assurers connected. Though the most I've ever seen is six. But I don't know how you guys from this world stand for it."

Reborn tilted his head at that. He might as well continue talking with this weakling. "Well, most do it for the benefits or even for friendship."

Tsuna blinked his eyes, looking back up at the taller man. "Benefits? Really? You mean both parties gain something?"

"Of course." Deciding that it wouldn't hurt to sit next to the brunet, he stood up to move over. His joints cracked from being in the same position for so long but it felt good though. It was more comfortable then kneeling. "For example, if a person likes to fight then he'll join for the future battles. Or if the person is looking for something and in turn, let's say the Capturer wants to head out into the world to explore. Those two can easily benefit each other, its things like that."

"Ohhhhh… Well, when you say it like that, it doesn't sound too bad." Tsuna smiled delicately, looking down at his fingers. "I guess it would be nice to have one but I'm too weak. I can't really do anything right and I'm really useless." He pulled his legs against his body and hugged them tightly. Slumping his shoulders downward, the brunet tilted his head back to stare straight into the blue sky, noticing that the sun was starting to set in the distance. Time for him to head back to the rest of his class was getting closer but he wasn't sure if he really wanted to leave or stay. Tsuna smiled once more. "I mean, I can't really fight and I don't want to. I don't want to hurt anyone."

Reborn didn't answer that and shook his head, pulling his fedora downward. He couldn't help but snort quietly at that. It was obvious that the person had no confidence in himself, no bravery, no pride, no nothing. All in all, Tsuna was just a pathetic weakling.

When a little beeping sound went off, the brunet jumped, flicking his head upward. Reborn sat in the same spot silently, watching everything the younger man did. He observed as the brunet took out a device and clicked it off, stopping the sounds, and immediately understood from that that it was time for the other to leave the moment Tsuna looked at him. Pocketing the device into his pocket, the younger man stood up and peered down at Reborn, who was staring at him curiously, still in the same spot. There was a flicker of emotion in those honey-colored eyes but the man said nothing. "Well, I better get going. It was, um…nice talking to you, Reborn. Thanks again for saving me. Well… Um…g-goodbye." Bowing to Reborn one last time, Tsuna ran off into the forest, making his way back to the meeting place for his class where he would head back to his world with everyone else.

He'd probably never see that person again. Why would anyone want anything from him? Tsuna sighed at that. No one would. He was useless and always messed everything up. Smiling sadly at that, he vanished into the darkness of the woods.

Still, it had been nice to talk to someone normally…however short it was. He only wished that one day he would be able to get someone that would remain by his side despite his shortcomings.


	3. Chapter 3

The next couple of days had been harsh for him. His classmates, no, bullies, from before came back to demand what had happened to one of their pacts. The creature that had been bonded with his classmate had died and they were furious about it. They roughed him around until they got a satisfying answer which wasn't much of one but a mutter that something had come by and killed it. The one that had his Assurer slain was pale in color and seemed to have bruises all over his skin. The toll of feeling the death had actually done more to his classmate than originally thought.

During that time, Tsuna ended up becoming the perfect punching bag for three days straight but the pain didn't bother him much anymore. He was used to this sort of thing. Once more he was ridiculed among his class, laughed at, taunted. Ah, it was just another day. It was like a routine to him now. Get up, go to class, get tormented, and go back home. Not much difference from day to day.

He lived on his own in a dorm room. No one wanted to be with him or share a room with him and he was fine with that. The place was big enough to hold maybe two more people and he had plenty of space for himself, not that he used it. Tsuna got an allowance from his family, well, from his older brother, Dino, who always sent more than enough to get by. Dino was the only brother, or well, family member, that actually contacted him, but it wasn't much, just a phone call here and there to make sure that he was alive and not dead in some ditch. Other than that occasional call, he received no other contact and spent his days in silence.

Luckily for Tsuna, his cooking skills were enough to keep him by, hardly ever using the money his brother sent except for his school fees and groceries. There was no need to buy clothes since the school had its own uniform, no need to pay for the electricity or water since it was all provided, the furniture as well. So it just continued to build up. Tsuna bet that he probably had enough to buy his own house but he never bothered to check, it was pointless. And so the days just continued to go by before his eyes.

Eventually, he had to go back to Meraviglie and this time sporting a fractured arm and some bandages around his neck. His bullies had gone a little too far this time, but that wasn't uncommon. His arm was held in a sling, not allowed much movement unless he wanted to make things worse than it already was. As he headed down the hallway towards the room that housed the Cremils, he couldn't help but think that he didn't want to go over to the other world, not like this. If anything happened, how was he supposed to run? He could hardly defend himself before in his present state and now he was even weaker than before.

Tsuna sighed as he watched his professor pressed a couple of keys into a machine. A door that was next to it opened, it was the portal to the other world, and watched as his fellow classmates walked in. He headed over, letting himself get engulfed by the light that was inside. It was so bright that he closed his eyes for a moment only to find himself back in that campsite, that familiar place he was far too used to. People were already spreading out, heading to different areas to explore, many together. As for Tsuna, he was left all alone. No one spared a glance at him, no one bothered to talk to him. He stood there by himself in the middle of the camp.

Sighing, Tsuna made his way out, going towards his usual spot. It was time to wait again. He really wished he could bring something with him. Maybe a book? He snorted at that, wondering how long that would keep his attention. Probably not long.

It only took about thirty minutes to arrive to that open area and he smiled at the beauty it showed. Such a wonderful place it was. There were butterflies fluttering around today, a few had a bright gleam on their wings and some had golden dust falling from their wings. Oh how he wished he had his drawing pad with him. It was the only other thing he was really good at; drawing, his favorite pastime. Watching the butterflies almost swim around in the sky, he walked out to his rock and settled against it to stare. He took note of the little details on the bugs. One butterfly had a face-like wing pattern with two black spots as eyes and some markings in the center for a nose. Another was just pretty colors all glittering with two swallows on each side coming off to follow behind.

He smiled at the sight.

"Back here again I see."

"Hieeeeeee!" Tsuna screamed at that voice, jumping up only to hit his head against the hard surface of the rock. He moaned at the agonizing pain that radiated in his skull and used his good hand to rub the spot tenderly. Wincing, he closed an eye, whimpering quietly. Slowly, he turned around to see who had spoken to him only to recognize the same person from before. Tsuna's honey-colored eyes widened at the sight. That dark suit and fedora was easy to recognize and those dark eyes, he shivered slightly as he found them staring at him directly. "Oh, it's you."

"Chaos." Reborn smirked, leaning against a tree, with his arms folded. He was behind the brunet, standing there as if nothing was wrong. Nothing had changed; he looked exactly the same from a couple of days before, though there was some annoyance in his eyes. Tsuna flinched at that when he recognized it.

Reborn, on the other hand, wasn't really directing that annoyance towards the brunet but at himself. He hadn't expected himself to come back to this place, but his curiosity kept bothering him from within, telling him to come back. It was an annoying feeling, one he had to follow if he wanted to get rid of it. But he couldn't deny that his instincts were many times right and, for some odd reason, he felt as if he needed to come back. Raising an eyebrow at the brunet's wide eyes and clearly surprised face, he chuckled in amusement unable to help himself in teasing to other. "What? Expecting someone else?"

"Ah…" The brunet turned to his hands, breaking eye contact with the other. "I-I thought it was just a onetime thing. Wasn't expecting to see you again."

The older man smirked at that and settled on the other side of the rock, getting himself comfortable, and stretched his legs before him onto the grass. He tilted the fedora downward to hide his eyes and crossed his arms. "Well, I got interested and wanted to know more about your world. I've been to Earth a few times, but never long enough to explore."

Tsuna straightened his back at that and crawled around the rock so that he was next to the man. His honey-colored eyes stared down to see if he could peer into those dark eyes that were generally hidden by the shadow of the fedora but couldn't. It was odd, the person before him looked human, and he was different compared to the other residents of this world. They all looked like creatures out of a storybook but the person before him was normal to a point. "Really? You've been to Earth before? And what would you like to know?"

Reborn raised an eyebrow at that; he was actually going to get answers? He hadn't been expecting that, but looking at the brunet, he could see that hopeful look in Tsuna's eyes. He quickly realized that Tsuna was lonely. Glancing towards the brunet again, he flicked his fedora up to get a better look. He eyed the other carefully, watching for any sudden or strange movements or any signs that the other was lying, but Tsuna just sat there in curiosity, waiting for the question that would slip through his lips. 'Well, might as well go along with it.' Uncrossing his arms, he spoke. "Yes, I've been to Earth before. I can go there freely, though I'll have to use a bit of power to do so. I have to slip through the barrier that separates the worlds. But…it's a pain to do so."

Tsuna just sat and listened, moving his body around to get into a better position. His neck still burned in pain and the bandages were a little itchy, but he ignored it for the other. Then the questions came, they were simple questions, but they were things that could only be known on the other side, like history and technology. Tsuna tried to answer them to the best of his ability due to his limited knowledge, and when he didn't know, he stated so honestly.

Reborn tilted his head for a second, peering over the other carefully while the brunet spoke, and took in the damaged appearance. Tsuna continued to talk, stumbling over words, but was trying his best. 'Bullied again, huh?' Mentally shaking his head, he went back to thinking about his reasons for coming back. He felt as if there was something off with the other. The kid just made him want to drop his guard consistently, he didn't mean to or intend to, but it happened unconsciously. And inside, he knew that Tsuna was practically helpless, literally. As he listened to the brunet continue to talk, his eyes wandered towards the scenery for a few moments before going back.

Before either of them realized, a few good hours passed during their time together. Reborn hadn't comprehended how late it had gotten until he felt a vibration in his pocket. Someone was calling him but decided to ignore it for now for the brunet. Slipping his hand into his vest pocket, he pressed a random button to turn it off, not wanting to bother with it.

They eventually began talking about other topics when they ran out of the previous and Reborn found out quite a bit about the other, like Tsuna enjoyed drawing and cooking and was in a college for those two until he was placed into his current one. Most of it was random things and very few were personal. The older man noted immediately that Tsuna wasn't very comfortable talking about his family, no, it was as if it was taboo to the brunet. From their first meeting, Reborn already knew that the other wore his heart on his sleeve, but at the same time, that same heart had been sealed away, despite how much it wanted to come out. It was probably to harden himself from the insults and whatnot, to prevent himself from getting hurt any further than he already was. But the more the brunet talked, the more that seal seemed to crack and crumble. Reborn realized that for Tsuna, he was probably the only person he had talked to for a long time.

More things he noticed were that Tsuna was constantly shifting slowly closer to him, unintentionally, but he didn't bother to impede the other from doing so, even when they were almost touching. Tsuna continued to talk and answer any and all of Reborn's questions and he didn't mind replying to Tsuna's own. He found it amusing to see those curious sparkles in those large honey-colored eyes, glowing with amazement, eagerly waiting for more.

Time continued to pass and once more they were so deep into their conversion that the day was ending and Tsuna had to leave when that annoying beeping came from that same device from before, a pager Reborn found out. It was obvious that the brunet was reluctant to go and wanted so badly to stay, to keep going. Reborn couldn't help but chuckle at the antics but shoved the other along, knowing that he needed to go. That and he needed to answer that call from earlier, he had almost forgotten about it until the pager went off. Slowly, the younger man left, vanishing into the forest, promising he would be back again soon.

Reborn didn't wave, keeping his hands in his pockets. He didn't mean to come back here really… But still, curiosity was just something that wouldn't leave him alone. Something told him that he should keep meeting the brunet regardless of what his mind kept telling him. Two opposing forces fighting each other, but he didn't see any harm. The brunet was weak, pathetic, useless, and everything else he could think of, and yet here he was, talking to the other as if everything was normal. But he couldn't help tease Tsuna and push him around. The brunet just took it in stride and without care, easily pushing forward to get closer.

Pulling out his phone, he looked at the blinking screen, and paused. Had he really missed eight phone calls and eighteen text messages? Just how in depth was he with the conversation to miss that much? Reborn realized that once more he had dropped his guard without meaning to.

But to make him drop it this much… Reborn glance up to stare into the distance where Tsuna had disappeared to and smirked. Something like this was interesting.

* * *

Tsuna blinked, looking around the area from the moment he appeared into the campsite. He had expected Reborn to show up today like usual, close by like he had over the past few days; however, he didn't feel the other's presence anywhere nearby. It didn't start off like that though, for a few weeks he had been startled whenever the other appeared but slowly he began to recognize and distinguish that familiar presence Reborn always had. There was always such a dark aura surrounding the man that seemed to radiate off without care but it never seemed to bother Tsuna. He had found that presence to be quite kind and calming. Still, that probably meant that his gift for Reborn today wasn't going to happen. He had wanted the other to try his food, his homemade one packed neatly into a bento box, and wrapped in a yellow cloth to keep it safe. He had another one, wrapped in orange, which was in his bag that was meant for him. Tsuna had finally found a way to sneak items through the portal without his professors noticing, not that they really looked at him in the first place so he found it quite easily.

Moving through the forest towards his usual spot, he suddenly felt a shift in the air. This made him pause for a moment, feeling goose bumps appearing on his skin, and a shiver ran down his spine. Immediately, he glanced around the dark woods, eyes wide in worry, but saw nothing in the forest, however, that uncomfortable feeling and the ringing sensation in his mind didn't go away. Tsuna felt that…something was terribly wrong. He made a small noise in the back of his throat and tightened his grip on his bag, shifting his feet around to get a better look at all directions. That feeling still didn't go away, no, it had gotten stronger, as if the danger was coming closer to his position.

Then there was another shift, this time worse than before. Soon after, everything had gone silent, no birds chirping, no wind blowing through the trees, and Tsuna could clearly hear the heavy pounding of his heart. Before he realized it, he was running, passing through the trees as quickly as he physically could. And then he heard it, footsteps following right behind. Tsuna squeaked at that, his skin color going pale at the fact he was being followed, and hurried his pace. He needed to get away as soon as possible and hopefully lose the other.

Abruptly the footsteps disappeared and Tsuna slowed his pace to listen better to his surroundings. Indeed they were gone, but he still felt as if the danger was still around, as if something was watching. His instincts were going off like crazy and his body shivered with his breathing ragged and heavy. Looking around in a circle, he couldn't see anything, didn't hear anything. There was nothing around him.

Then another shiver ran down his spine. Slowly, Tsuna looked up into the trees above.

And screamed.


	4. Chapter 4

Tsuna fell back, his body shaking, his voice going silent soon after screaming. He let out little whimpers, eyes wide in fear, and his fingers shook. Above his head was some sort of dark creature that looked suspiciously like a tiger wrapped in black with glowing brown markings wrapped around the beast. Those markings alerted him that this Meraviglian was an earth-type fighter and a malicious looking one too. Two glowing yellow eyes stared right back at him, a growl like a thunderous rumble emitted from beast.

He swallowed at the sight and kept still, not wanting to startle the creature into doing something he definitely didn't want. The beast growled again, stepping over the tree branches despite its weight, and continued to eye the brunet below. Its tail flickered behind it and the dark fur shifted in the wind when it blew by, creating some sort of sound in the silence as the two stared at each other.

Tightening his grasp on his bag, Tsuna carefully took a step back and then another. Nothing happened, but he knew better than to relax at that. Slowly, the creature moved in return, jumping down to the ground without making a sound, and stepped forward as if taunting its prey. Its claws dug into the ground, creating a mark within the dirt, and leaving an imprint behind as it stepped forward again.

They stared at each other, wondering who would move first but neither did. Tsuna remained where he was at, finding himself slowly being closed in by the surrounding trees. The beast's breath was strong and he prevented himself from gagging at the terrible stench that smelled like rotten flesh, doubting that emptying his stomach contents in front of the creature would be good idea. He felt sick to his stomach and his fingers twitched, trying to control himself. Everything in his body told him to run, to get out, but where to? This beast seemed to be faster than him and perhaps even smarter too.

Tsuna whimpered as the beast began to close in on him, pressing his body against a tree, and watched as that dark mist seemed to flood the ground, covering the fallen leaves and twigs. 'Am I going to die here?' he thought to himself as he saw those large white teeth began to appear, little bits of flesh and blood still visible. A droplet of red slid down a tooth, leaving behind a crimson trail, and fell to the ground, disappearing into the ground. He squeaked at the sight and swallowed, closing his eyes for a moment to get away from the sight.

By the time he opened them, he wished he hadn't. Those teeth were just inches away from his face and this time he screamed in fear, just narrowly missing those jaws from coming down and tearing his face in half. Thoughts of wishing he could be one with the tree he was trapped against echoed in his frenzied mind, but knew that that wouldn't be happening anytime soon and dodged again when the beast tried to bite him once more. There was a sound from the tiger like it was laughing in amusement, toying with its prey before feasting.

Then there was another shift in the air, Tsuna shivering at it. A screech sounded through the area, like a large bird, and a black mass slammed into the beast, shoving it away the brunet and tossing it to the side. A strong gust of wind forced Tsuna to hold onto the tree bark to prevent himself from being blown away at the force. He closed his eyes but could still hear what was going on. Movement, wings flapping wildly, and growls echoed within the dark forest, and he listened to everything intently.

The moment he got his bearings together, he turned around to watch a massive black bird-like creature strike the tiger with its claws. Flesh was torn off and blood splattered across the trees, those droplets dripping down. There was a scream and the tiger tried to strike back but missed as the bird flew off. Tsuna jumped behind a tree, observing the standoff between the two, not wanting to catch either of their attention incase both of them decide he was better served as a meal.

Looking over the bird, he tilted his head in question, feeling that there was something familiar about it. There was nothing but blackness misting from those feathers, no specks of white or color. Tsuna stared in question, was it possible that the raven was a darkness element? That one was rare among the others. A dark vapor radiated from the floating body and seemed to blend in with the feathers and when those large wings flapped, a strong gust of dark wind blew around.

Glowing yellow eyes peered down at the tiger and crowed. The talons on the bird were almost impossible to see, but Tsuna spotted them for just a second as the bird struck them into the tiger again, ripping the beast apart. Gore splattered the ground, some looking like intestines, and the beast made a roar in rage before it was immediately silenced with a sharp swipe with a wing.

'Perhaps the feathers are lethal?' Tsuna thought to himself, observing as the bird, now looking like a giant raven, ripped its claws out of the body and let the creature fall limply to the ground. The raven continued to fly, misting around in the air, before turning towards Tsuna. The brunet gasped, knowing he had been found, and stared into those yellow eyes cautiously. Then he tilted his head.

Tsuna didn't feel…threatened? It was odd, especially after watching the bird kill the monster that would have taken his life. He knew he should be scared, fearing for his life again, but didn't. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath to think carefully. Yes, apparently he didn't feel threatened. It was more like something familiar was next to him, something he was at ease with but there was only one person he knew from this world.

Stepping out from behind the trees, he went closer to the bird. The raven continued to keep itself afloat mid-air and its form began to dissipate more into a mist, but Tsuna could still see the head and part of the body. There was no wind anymore since those wings were no longer flapping. It was amazing to be this close to something so magnificent and not get attacked for once.

Tsuna tilted his head again, he was certain that something was familiar about this bird. It wasn't until it made a small sound that Tsuna realized that there was only one person that really could make him feel at ease. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a box, the yellow bento. "Here, this is for you."

The raven stared at it but kept itself at the same distance, eyeing the box carefully, not budging from its present location.

A small smile made itself to the brunet's lips. "This is for you, Reborn."

At that name, the bird screeched, making Tsuna flinch automatically, and then a voice came out from that feathery darkness. "How did you…?" It trailed off.

"What is it, Reborn? That is you, right?" The brunet didn't back down and stepped forward to get closer. "I don't know why you look like that, but it's kinda neat."

Slowly the darkness began to fade away from Reborn and his humanoid form appeared, the black feathers fluttering all around his body. He slowly flew down until his feet touched the ground, the black haze disappearing from his body. The feathers continued to dangle in the air, falling from side to side until it touched the ground, and he tilted his fedora downward to the left. His dark eyes stared straight into the honey-colored ones and then to the bento that was in the brunet's hands. The darkness disappeared and he was left standing there as if everything was normal. Reborn had more concerning matters to deal with first before questioning the box. "How did you know it was me?"

Tsuna hummed to himself, looking a little confused. He twitched his nose, concentrating. "I'm not really sure, but I felt as if I knew you. I didn't feel like I was in danger and then I just realized who you really were after a while. Well, it wasn't hard. You're actually the only person I know in this world."

The raven raised an amused eyebrow at that, watching the younger man smile brightly. 'Perhaps there's more to Tsuna than meets the eye… Maybe that's the reason why I found him so odd.' He slowly reached over to the bento and opened the lid to it carefully, peering at the food that was inside. It looked good with how it was arranged neatly and in order; it looked like Tsuna's claim of going to an art and culinary college was the truth. Still, that wasn't the most important thing he wanted to confirm at this moment. He turned his eyes towards the brunet, eyebrows slightly raised, waiting for the other to say something first but when he didn't, Reborn couldn't help but ask, "Don't you have any questions for me?"

At that, Tsuna smiled softly, scratching his cheek gently in hesitance. "I'm not going to force you. Everyone is entitled to having some secrets." The brunet glanced down to his bag, smiling, however, he couldn't completely hide the obvious want in his eyes. He did want to know…many things. There were so many questions running through his mind that he didn't even know where to start. At the disbelieving look he received from Reborn, Tsuna sighed, giving in. "I mean, yeah, I'm curious, but if you don't want to say anything, I won't make you." He pulled his bag into his arms and held it tightly to his chest. "Anyway, that bento is for you… I, um, made it."

Reborn stared at it again before closing the lid. "One would think that a person would freak when finding out that the person that had been talking and sitting next to him was a monster."

Tsuna blinked. "You? A monster? I doubt it."

At that, the raven sighed. "You're an idiot."

"I thought I already knew that."

Reborn decided to slam his fist onto Tsuna's head, enjoying the pained cry that occurred. He smirked, watching the other cradle the small bump that was forming, letting him whimper in pain. Of course, while that was happening, Reborn's thoughts were going wild. He wasn't entirely sure if he really wanted to tell the other anything about himself. He had been quite diligent in keeping his identity and powers a secret but now that it was out, it shouldn't hurt to let some things out…right?

"Well, as you may already notice, my other form is that of a raven and I'm a darkness element," Reborn announced as he quickly gained back the brunet's attention. Tsuna immediately stopped what he was doing to listen, his eyes glittering with curiosity. Motioning the other to move along with him, Reborn started walking through the forest, the brunet right beside him, and continued holding onto the yellow bento box. "It's not common knowledge, but those with two forms are considered extremely powerful individuals. There aren't very many, however."

Tsuna kept quiet, continuing to listen to every word. This was the first time he had ever heard Reborn actually talk about things besides just replying to the brunet's own questions. Normally, he had to be the one to do so but it was nice of a change. He didn't get the chance to hear Reborn talk much after all, much less about himself.

"My friends, well, colleagues are all like me, powerful individuals… Well, most," Reborn huffed, suddenly flexing his arms as if stretching. Whenever he transformed, he always felt the need to stretch repeatedly afterwards, a habit he couldn't get rid of.

"I think it's kinda neat."

The raven chuckled in amusement. "Only you would and would also think my other form to be cool. Most fear it. Skull, a colleague, thinks my other form looks like something out of a horror movie."

"But it's still cool and actually really pretty too."

"You're an idiot."

Tsuna pouted at that, shoulders slumping, looking incredibly depressed. Reborn stared at the younger man, feeling like he had kicked a puppy, but tightened his resolve and kept his attitude the same. Tsuna shuffled through the forest for a few seconds, thinking, and then suddenly he perked up at a thought and turned to Reborn with a smile. "But _you're_ the one that's talking to this idiot."

The raven hit Tsuna over the head a second time, a loud smack echoing in the silence. "I hope your cooking is better than your comebacks."

"It is. I'm confident that you'll like it… I think." The brunet continued to pout, rubbing his aching head with his free hand, trying to massage the pain away. It went from a stabbing hiss to a dull throb.

"Oh?" Reborn chuckled. "Well, you'll just have to hear my thoughts on it before making any false conclusions. Anyway, back to what I was talking about, my raven form is better for fights, not that I need to transform often since most fights are just downright pathetic."

"I see, that's good to hear." Tsuna smiled almost as if he was at ease.

At that, Reborn glanced over. "What do you mean?"

"That even after a fight, you'll be okay. I'm glad to hear that."

The raven sighed, tempted to run his hand through his hair but resisted. "You really are an odd human."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No, it keeps you interesting." Reborn pulled his hand out to tilt his fedora downward to the side to keep the sunlight out of his eyes as they entered the familiar open area. Tsuna squinted his own and covered them with a hand in order to see better but continued to move forward, letting his eyes slowly adjust to the excess light. Upon entering the area, he realized just how long they had been meeting up with each other. Almost two months had passed, a long time considering his track record with people. For a long time, Tsuna had always expected that Reborn would one day get bored of him and stop showing up, and for some odd reason, he absolutely feared of when that day would come. He didn't want it to, he wanted to continue talking with the one person he had felt closest to in such a long time.

They settled next to the rock and placed the bentos on the grass with Tsuna immediately laying things out neatly. Reborn watched the other carefully, unable to help himself from eyeing the food warily. He didn't completely trust the other yet, the food could be drugged or even worse, poisoned, for all he knew. The raven instantly shook his head at that. 'No, there's no need for him to do such a thing, no benefits either.'

"What is that?" Reborn asked as he stared at the different patches of food in the bento box. He recognized the pasta, the little sausages, and others, but there were others he didn't.

"Oh, it's ravioli with a mixture inside made of four cheeses, a tad of cream cheese, spinach, chopped tomatoes, and onions with a pinch of garlic powder and grinded pepper. The sauce is a creamy-"

Reborn put up his hand, stopping Tsuna from going any further into the descriptions. He had a very strong feeling that at the rate the brunet was going, the food descriptions were going to go on forever without any stop. Looked like the brunet had been telling the truth about where he had gone for college and Reborn could see why.

Finding out he had been cut off, Tsuna scratched the side of his face in embarrassment, knowing he had been caught doing one of his old habits, he was good at cooking food after all. He immediately picked up his bento to begin eating, drawing his attention elsewhere, though that red tint refused to go away.

Reborn smirked at the action, knowing completely well what the other was trying to pull, before staring for a little longer at the food. Slowly, he took his first bite of the ravioli and paused, tasting the pasta carefully, before swallowing. "It's good, no, delicious." Taking another bite, he licked his lips at the taste and to wipe any smeared sauce, enjoying it.

"R-Really?" Tsuna softly spoke. "I'll admit that it's been a while since I've actually cooked for anyone."

"Yes, really." With that, Reborn took another bite, savoring the smooth texture. It was perfect, perhaps some of the best food he had ever tasted before. It was even better than _hers_ from long ago. Closing his eyes, he smirked. "Really good. I like it."

The brunet paused before lighting up in happiness. "T-Thank you! I-If you like, I can cook more often for you."

Reborn stared, knowing full well that the brunet liked the feeling of being needed, and decided to go along with it. It couldn't hurt, the food was definitely a bonus. He nodded his head, believing that if everything tasted as good as this then he would definitely not mind. He finished up the meal quickly before it could go cold and used one of the provided napkins to wipe his lips.

"C-Coffee?" Tsuna offered, pulling out a container and took off the cap, which turned into a cup, and poured some of the hot dark liquid into it. "I brewed this myself."

Reborn eyed the drink for a moment before taking it, sipping on it slowly. The familiar taste of coffee touched his buds and he swallowed before staring at the liquid. Was it possible for coffee to taste better? "Did you hand brew it?"

"I used a machine but I need to put in the right amount of grinded beans and water to go together."

'So he made a perfect mixture of the two,' Reborn thought to himself as he continued to savor the drink. The moment he finished it, he shoved the cup forward, demanding more. Tsuna blinked and just smiled happily, pouring more into the cup.

"It's okay?"

"I wouldn't be asking for more if I didn't like it. I wish there was something stronger than coffee."

Tsuna tilted his head at that, his mind running through all sorts of drinks before coming up with one. "You mean like an espresso?"

"Espresso? Never heard of it. It probably doesn't exist in this world." Reborn slipped his drink some more, still enjoying the taste and warmth it brought to his body. He went for his third and before long, fourth cup.

The brunet wiggled his nose before nodding, wondering if Reborn was going to drink the entire container. "Then I'll just have to make you some next time."

"Ah, and bring more food too."

Tsuna blinked and then smiled. "Okay."

To think after the next meeting, Reborn's new favorite drink would became espresso, however, he only truly enjoyed it whenever when Tsuna made it himself. He knew from now on he would want Tsuna to come more often than not.


	5. Chapter 5

"I've heard of something called 'religion' in your world. From what I've managed to get is that humans worships something or multiple things depending on the so called 'religion'. We Meraviglians don't have such a thing nor do such a thing."

Humming to himself, Tsuna couldn't help but think that this was a complex question. It was something that had endless possibilities, something that wasn't tangible and was difficult to explain to someone who didn't believe in anything. Tsuna took a deep breath and tried to do so to the best of his ability and with what little knowledge he had.

The visits were essentially a question and answer session between the two, wondering about each other's world. It was mindboggling to think just how the worlds were simultaneously so similar yet so different. Meraviglie ran off of science and magic and many other. This world had technology that was far more advanced then Earth, yet at the same time, far less advanced. They had cars, the ones that looked unfeasible and imaginary back on Earth, computers, and cell phones, but there were things they had that Earth could never attain. They had magical devices that could hold a large number of objects, living weapons, weapons of destruction, even ovens that could cook in a flash. They didn't have airplanes or anything that could really fly. To the Meraviglians, where half the population could either teleport or float, there was no need for such things. None of them bothered with space either; it was just something there. And of course, Earth was already well known.

Tsuna smiled happily as he gained more knowledge about Meraviglie and he absently thought to himself, 'I want to stay here.' Closing his eyes, he knew it wouldn't be allowed, he would be tracked and dragged back by his own family. It wasn't something that was against the rules or anything. His family wouldn't allow it, never allowing him to escape his fate.

Before long, the day ended and Tsuna had to go back. He vowed that he would show up tomorrow even though it wasn't a class day and he did. The next day, Tsuna found Reborn already waiting for him, settled against the rock. It was odd for the brunet to have someone wanting to wait for him, wanting to see him, compared to his usual greeting from everyone else. It made him feel a little warm at the thought but he pushed it away. Days passed as they talked continuously and Tsuna found himself waiting eagerly for when he could meet the other once more and snuck food pass the professors to present his best abikity. After a while, he brought other things along, like books and some devices to share with the raven.

Reborn didn't seem to mind the numerous hours in one day he spent with the little human. He didn't mind at all and he too found himself waiting for that time to come. The books the other brought were always interesting. The history was different yet intruding, and the stories that the humans thought up of were fascinating. But he knew all too well about the cruelty of the humankind. They were the worst; only humans could enslave each other like and treat each other like animals.

Still, the man didn't mind the Tsuna. The food and drinks he received, though hesitant at first, were delicious yet strange.

"Do you have any family?" Reborn one day asked out of the blue, lying comfortably on the grass. His arms were folded underneath his head as he stared at the passing clouds with little interest. His fedora was halfway covering his face and was coming off slightly due to the angle it was at.

"Yeah, I do. But I don't get along with them very well." Tsuna kept smiling softly, sitting next to the other without any hesitation.

The older man rolled over at that, propping his head up with his hand. His hat was beside him, fallen off at the movement, letting his spiky black hair from underneath free from its confinement. The loose strands fluttered in the weak wind, giving Tsuna a better view of those sharp eyes. "And why's that?"

"Because I'm weak and useless. My family runs a giant business and they were hoping that I would be able to help them in that area but I can't." Tsuna sighed, flashes of past memories flooding through his head. "So they shunned me away."

"Who does your family consist of?"

The brunet tilted his head at that. "Hmm…well, I have two older brothers. Dino, the eldest, runs a group called Chiavarone. I'm not really sure on what they do though, since I never heard the details. It's only a medium-sized organization, but it's gotten pretty well-known since my brother has taken over. He apparently changed a lot of the old rules and policies. My other brother, Giotto, is the one who's running the largest company in the world called Vongola with my father and grandfather. It's supposed to be the eldest that runs it but Dino is too clumsy and tends to break things on accident or drag down other people. But even with all that, he's really intelligent and friendly to everyone he meets. Giotto, on the other hand, doesn't have that problem and is able to run everything with ease on his own. He's also a Capturer like me with six different Assurers; I saw them before when they were helping my brother out at the company. Oh, and my mom went to live with them in one of the mansions they keep around."

"And you're stuck here." Reborn muttered, rolling back to his previous position but with his hands resting on his stomach. He was tempted to grab his fedora to cover his eyes from the sun but resisted as he wanted to still watch Tsuna's expressions.

"Yeah… more like dropped off. My family just wanted me to get out of the way." Tsuna stretched and rubbed the back of his neck, not really bothered about what he was saying. He had been hesitant at first in saying anything about his family but Reborn was his first friend. He didn't want to keep any secrets between them. "As you may already know, I didn't want to come to this school. But I guess if I hadn't, I wouldn't have met you or seen this world." Reborn waved his hand, motioning the other to continue. "You also know that I wanted to go to an art school or culinary arts since those seemed to be the only things I'm good at. And I did go to a college of arts and studied. I was doing really well there and I might have been able to graduate early the next semester with high standards until my father decided to come in and cut all my funds. He took away all my money and made the school kick me out. I had nowhere to go and ended up getting forced to come here."

"Why not run away? Or fight?"

"I tried. I worked as a cashier in a restaurant but my father didn't want a Sawada working in such a lowly position and bankrupted the place. I went to grocery store to find some work. I got hired, only to have the same thing happen once more. It kept happening over and over that I didn't bother anymore; there was no point in fighting someone that had so much control over my world." Reborn didn't bother to reply to that, letting the brunet continue on. Tsuna took a deep breath and fell back, spreading his arms out. "I've given up, every time I would try to run, my father would do something in the shadows to prevent it from happening. I have no power, no say over my own life. My voice cannot reach their ears and their eyes can only stare back at me in disgust. All I can do is follow along and hope that everything turns out okay. I'm pulled by strings I cannot cut and laughed at the entire way. My family hates me and enjoys yanking my chains hard to bring me down and my mother avoids me. She's never looked at me probably thinking I'm a failure of a son, a child that shouldn't have been born. I wonder, no, I _know_ that there will be a day that those strings will tighten its hold on me and cut into me, strangling me, and I would still be yanked along, forced to walk a path I don't want to tread on."

Tsuna smiled sadly and glanced towards the other, who could only stare back in silence. "You know, I had a dream once a long time ago. It was an odd dream. I can't remember much about it now but there was one part that forever remained trapped in my mind. In that dream, in that one scene, I died. I could see my father in the background, saying something I couldn't hear, lips moving, but I could tell by his expression that he was disappointed in me yet again over something and then pulled the trigger of a gun. It's…odd that I could feel that pain as the bullet went through me and experience the sensation of blood pouring out of my body." The brunet sighed, clenching his fingers into a fist for a moment, before strangely relaxing. "It was…terrifying and yet…I don't really know how to explain it. I… I woke up screaming after that and tried to push it away but ever since then, I've had this really strong feeling bubbling in the pit of my stomach that that was probably my fate. I'm going to die by my father's hand."

Reborn sat up at that, face serious, and stared at the other with an emotion the brunet couldn't understand. The raven couldn't believe his ears. Such words… Those were not things that were normally said by anyone. Growling at himself for letting his emotions get the better of him, he huffed. But what should he say? He knew that the other was expecting something, anything, but he couldn't provide an answer, not to that.

Then suddenly, Tsuna laughed. The older man glanced over curiously, wondering what had just happened, and the Capturer smiled, keeping his eyes on the other. "What a serious face. That's the first time I've ever seen you look like that." And the brunet smiled as if nothing was wrong, like he hadn't spoken about his future where he knew he was going to die and that it wasn't too far off.

Reborn could only stare in shock. He had never seen anyone throw such a thing off so easily. Why? He didn't understand. Shouldn't Tsuna be crying? Screaming? It made no sense.

Knowing that he needed to break the tension, Tsuna crawled closer, his brown locks swinging at the movement. He wanted to change the conversation to a lighter topic. The mood surrounding them had darkened and he didn't want the other to worry about him. He knew he would handle everything when his fate finally caught up…hopefully but right now, that wasn't his main concern. "Hey, what do you like to eat? If you like, I can try and cook you something you want. I'm not sure if you'll like it though, with different tastes and everything."

Nodding his head to agree, Reborn couldn't shake off the feeling that something was terribly wrong with this human. But he remained normal outwardly to prevent any questioning. "I like a lot of foods. Hmm, how about pasta and espresso?"

"Pasta and espresso? Those two don't really go together, but it depends on the pasta. Okay. I take it you don't mind what type of pasta, right? I'll bring everything tomorrow for you."

The day continued to pass as the two tried to get back into their normal routine, but it was a lost cause. Reborn could not throw off that dreadful sinking feeling.

* * *

Today was odd. Reborn had that single thought repeating in his head as he headed back home. The conversation today was something he wasn't used to nor ever expected to have with anyone. After all, who would really come to him of all people to him to talk about their death? It was just strange. Yet the feeling remained after the meeting, bothering him continuously.

Taking a deep breath, he released all the tension in his body just as a house appeared through the trees. The building, quite large, was located at the edge of Stella city, a place that was well-known about in this world for its bright lights and its numerous habitants. The forest, known as Stella Woods, where he met Tsuna every day, was right next to the city, just a little ways off the outskirts. The house where he lived in with a few others was still in the main part of the city limits but far enough that it was quiet from all the traffic and flashing lights.

Stepping onto the porch, he glanced back by habit, checking to see and listen if there was anyone following him. Finding nothing but the usual silent darkness, he took out his keys to open the door. Light flooded his eyes and he blinked to adjust them while his ears picked up movement, immediately turning his head towards the direction. The first room of the building, the living room, had a blond-haired man sitting on the couch, watching TV and looking quite relaxed despite the intrusion. The man, Colonello, wore a slightly disheveled green military uniform with a headband around his head, keeping the falling golden locks from coming down.

"Yo, Reborn. You finally came back!" The blond's bright blue eyes peered over the other, taking note of anything unusual. However, there was nothing abnormal. Reborn looked the same now as he had looked when he had stepped out this morning. "Where've you been, kora?"

Reborn tilted his fedora down. "Out."

"Out?" A voice spoke from behind. A man in red garb and long braided hair stepped out from the kitchen. His robes fell down to his boots and contained slits on each side to allow free movement. He wore a curious expression on his face and put his hands together through the long sleeves. "You've been going out quite a bit these days, from morning to night."

"Fong's right, Reborn. You've been disappearing to somewhere every day. Got a girlfriend or something, kora?" Colonello shut off the TV, finding this conversation much more interesting than the rewatched movie. He placed the remote onto the table in front and stood up, heading closer to the fedora-wearing man. He grinned mischievously, wondering about all the possibilities that could keep the other away so much. It was definitely not a job or anything like that.

Reborn sighed. "Not exactly. But I am seeing someone. A curious little human."

"A human? Really?" Fong tilted his head at that, surprised. He smiled soon after. "My, you should bring her over then. I wonder what you see in her to keep your attention like that."

"Him."

Colonello glanced over to Fong, sharing some words between their eyes. "Him? The human is a guy? Really, kora?"

"Yeah, I met him by chance. After that, we talked and kept meeting each other. He's an oddball though."

"He has to be an oddball if he's to keep your attention for this long." A woman grumbled as she walked by, coming from upstairs. She went into the kitchen, opened the fridge to get a bottle of water, before coming right back out. As she passed the trio of men, she stopped for a moment. "And Reborn, bring him over here. I'm interested to see who it is." With that, the woman went back up the stairs and disappeared into the corridor.

Colonello grinned at that, putting his hands onto his hips. "Well, you heard her. Lal wants him over, kora." Fong just chuckled, bringing a sleeve up to cover his lips.

"Fine, I'll see what I can do but no promises." Reborn huffed under his breath before folding his arms across his chest. "By the way, whose turn is it to cook?"

Fong and Colonello looked at each other once more before turning to the other man with a smile. "Yours."

Reborn cursed.


	6. Chapter 6

"Sawada-san, where are you heading to?"

Tsuna jumped at the sound of the voice, immediately turning around to face a professor. The brunet glanced sideways, not comfortable with the scolding appearance of the other as the professor glared at him as if he was an mere annoyance. "I'm heading to my dorm room then to Meraviglie."

"Meraviglie? It's not a class day."

"I know, but I really want to explore that place. Everything is so interesting. And maybe with more time I might be able to make some sort of process on my pact making. Maybe…" Tsuna looked sheepish at that, rubbing the back of his head. He didn't want to give away his true agenda, not to someone that could blab and put a halt on his visits.

The professor sighed and folded his arm. "Look, you can't just be going to that place without any protection-"

"Eh? But I've been doing just fine for the past 2 years. I mean I headed off on my own during class and I've been going to Meraviglie by myself for the past few weeks without any trouble. It's like they don't want to be anywhere near me," Tsuna scratched the back of his head, looking a little depressed at what he stated. "A-anyway, if I head there I'd create less trouble here, right? Isn't that what everyone wants?"

Sighing again, the professor grumbled under his breath. "Fine, do what you want. Just don't create any trouble here for the school. Your family is too powerful to mess with."

"Okay…" There it was again, his family. Tsuna closed his eyes to keep his piling emotions down and slumped his shoulders downwards. Rounding away from the teacher, he went back to his destination, heading towards the portal room. He had lied earlier about heading to his room, everything he needed was already in his backpack. Bypassing the other teachers along the way and avoiding any more questioning, he entered the portal and found himself back in Meraviglie, a world that was becoming more and more welcoming than Earth. Smiling to himself, he took a few steps forward before hearing a voice.

"Oi, Tsuna, over here." the brunet spun around to see a figure stepping out of the shadows of the trees, shifting through like mist. Smiling at the familiar person, Tsuna jogged closer, unable to hide his excitement. Reborn smirked at the cheery expression the other had, glad that the one from the day before was no longer there.

"What are you doing here? Don't we normally meet up at the usual spot?" Tsuna questioned, shifting his backpack to make it more comfortable. He had the food inside and some extra books which added more weight for him to carry, if he wasn't careful he might start falling backwards at the heaviness.

"Not today. I need to bring you somewhere. A few friends of mine kept pestering where I've been the past few weeks and when I let it slip that I was meeting with a human, they demanded to see you," Reborn huffed, tilting his fedora to the side. "So I plan on bringing you to them to shut them up."

"Really?" Tsuna shifted closer, eager to listen. He never thought he would actually be introduced to anyone, well, he never has been. Who would want to introduce Dame-Tsuna to anyone? Still, it was interesting and very different compared to the usual bullying and name calling. "What are they like?"

The raven stared before answering in a blank tone, "They're all idiots."

Tsuna blinked, "Ah, I…see," he was hoping that the raven would change his comment but he never did and stood there as if it was the most correct thing to say. "So, how do you plan on getting there?"

Reborn shifted his position at that and flicked up his fedora. "Well, obviously, it'd take hours to walk there so I'll just have to give you a ride," As he watched the confusion shine on that petite face, he couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Yes, I'm allowing you to hop onto my back in my other form. Be grateful, you'll be the first person I've ever let on."

The brunet couldn't help but blush at the idea, stepping closer to peer up into those dark eyes hiding underneath the fedora. "T-thanks." he squirmed a little, but there was an undeniable smile on those soft lips of his. Holding the bag closer to his body, Tsuna awaited for his orders. Was he supposed to wait for Reborn to do…whatever?

Catching the look, Reborn huffed and allowed his body to be cloaked in the familiar darkness he worked with, letting and feeling his body change within. Soon he expanded his wings, soaking in the sensation of his other form, and flapped them gently to let a gust of wind blow by. Dust scattered across the earth and the leaves in the trees behind ruffled at the force he used. Tsuna squinted his eyes to prevent anything from flying inside and felt the gust working its way around his body, his long bangs going wild.

Reborn's glowing red eyes turned to the little human and leaned over. "Get on. And be careful, I won't hesitate to throw you off if you pull my feathers." his talons clawed into the soft dirt, leaving marks, and felt the brunet grasp his feathers gently to try and hoist himself up but Tsuna couldn't. He feared hurting Reborn and the only way to get himself up was to pull harder but that warning was still very fresh in his mind. And knowing Reborn, he wouldn't be surprised.

Reborn grumbled, fully aware of Tsuna's little predicament and turned his head over to grab the human by the back of his shirt with his beak. Letting out a squeak in response, Tsuna saw himself going higher up and peered up into Reborn's eyes, wondering what the other was going to do next.

Being thrown into the air was not it. Screaming, the brunet waved his arms around riotously before landing onto a hard mass of feathers and grasped onto it to keep him still and from sliding off. He took deep breath to try and calm his rapidly beating heart, but nothing seemed to work. "I-I hate…you r-right now."

Tsuna could just see the smirk in Reborn's eyes before he tightened his grasp as the raven began to flap his wings to take off. For a moment, the brunet shut his eyes closed to avoid seeing anything that would only freak himself further. The sounds of wind blowing by him got stronger and it pounded at his face painfully.

"You should not hide away. Look." Reborn's strong voice radiated over his body and he felt Tsuna shift on top of him. The brunet peeked open his eyes slowly and cautiously, trying to figure out what Reborn meant and stared at the scenery around him. He was thousands of feet off the ground, so high up that he could almost touch the clouds. It was amazing and the land below was so beautiful. Everything looked like it was in patches and seemed to follow a pattern. There were other birds flying around with them, but Tsuna's attention on them didn't last long.

"It's pretty…" Tsuna lifted himself up to get a better view, hugging his arms around the raven's neck. "So this is…flying."

Reborn glanced back at his little weight before peering back into the distance where a house he was familiar with was starting to appear. "Is this your first time?"

"Yeah…"

The raven didn't say anything else, remaining quiet to allow Tsuna time to soak up everything. As they got closer to the building, Reborn tilted his body downwards, making his way towards to the ground and maneuvered around the trees to make a perfect landing. Darkness gathered around the Meraviglian's body and he flapped his wings repeatedly to gain some airborne distance from the earth. Tsuna slid off the moment he let go of his grasp, landing on his ass painfully, before getting back up to watch the other transform. The blackness surrounded the other before Reborn was back into humanoid form, floating in the air and stepped onto the ground, a light gust of wind surrounding him.

"We're here, Tsuna." The raven went forward towards his home, the little brunet trailing right behind.

"So you live here? It's not bad. It looks…cozy." Eyeing the designs and even the little curtains that were in the windows, he could tell that there was a sort of warmth surrounding it.

"It should. The original person that made this purposefully made it that way."

"Original person?"

"It's something that should be told at a better time," Reborn grumbled, pulling out his keys. He glanced back at the brunet, wondering if he should warn him about some of the behaviors his roommates showed or leave it to Tsuna to find out. He decided to go with the latter, it sounded a lot more fun and he always enjoyed watching Tsuna's funny expressions. Opening the door, he stepped inside. "Come on."

Tsuna nodded his head and peered into the area, keeping close to the taller man. He didn't get much of a chance to look around the place before he heard some footsteps coming his way. Immediately, by habit, he hid behind Reborn, hoping that he hadn't been seen. He was never good at talking with strangers.

"Ah, Reborn, you're back early." Fong appeared from the stairs, heading down towards the front door the moment he saw the other with another man followed soon after. Tsuna, still hiding behind the older man before him, looked over the two people curiously. He took in the different looks, appearances, and even clothes, obviously there was no way they were related with each other. Fong looked more pleasant to the eye, kinder, and seemingly strode down those stairs gracefully as if each step was carefully taken. It was like he was gliding.

The other person had purple hair and eyes and looked like a punk with all those piercings on his lip and ears. And was that makeup? While Tsuna continued to examine, Reborn tilted his fedora to say hello, well, it was more towards the Asian-looking man, the other was just ignored. It was then that Fong noticed the little brunet behind who seemed to cower, but peeked out momentarily. The Chinese man's face lighted up at that and picked up his pace. "Oh? Who's this? Is he the one?"

Tsuna blinked at the question, still looking over the two strangers. He got the basic down, they were Reborn's friends and that they were…Actually, that was all he knew about them. Reborn refused to ever talk much on them as if it was some sort of secret.

Fong smiled softly at the curious action, well aware of the questioning look Tsuna was showing and chuckled, finding it cute. "I'm Fong, a roommate of Reborn's. It's really nice to meet you."

"Ah, I'm Tsuna," the brunet couldn't help but smile back at how friendly Fong sounded, easing his nerves. "So you…live together with Reborn?"

"He didn't tell you?" the Chinese man peered at the other, sharing a few thoughts between their eyes before turning back. "Yes, we do, along with five others."

"Five others?"

"You'll probably meet them later…I think. Depends if they actually show up today." Fong smiled, taking in Tsuna's little tilt of his head, and went around Reborn to get a better view. The small act was quite adorable, he was beginning to see why Reborn liked this human. And the innocence shining in the eyes were too obvious.

Skull was the first to move, heading towards the door with a helmet under his arm. "Hey, I need to leave, got something important to do. I might be back by dinner. Make sure to leave some food for the Great Skull-sama!" At that, he closed the front door behind him, not bothering to say goodbye to anyone. Tsuna stared for a moment, wondering if this was normal, but didn't say anything. It wasn't his place after all. He turned back to Reborn and Fong as if mentally conveying the message of 'what to do next?' to them through his eyes. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to remain standing or sit down somewhere, was he supposed to take his shoes off at the front door? Well, considering the rest had theirs on, he guessed not.

Reborn sighed, drawing everyone's attention to him, and opened his mouth to say something when someone else beat him to it. "Oi, that little human looks weak, kora!" Tsuna jumped at the unknown voice, twisting himself towards the stairs again where a blond man was hurrying down in loud stomps. Colonello stared down at the brunet when he stopped in front with an eyebrow raised before laughing. "You've got to be kidding me. _This_ is who Reborn has been visiting? I didn't know you were into younglings, kora!" At that, the man smirked, chuckling in amusement, and nudged Reborn in the ribs.

The raven twitched almost unnoticeably if Tsuna hadn't caught it at the last second and recognized the narrowing of those dark eyes. Stepping away, the brunet had a very strong feeling about what was going to happen next. And he was right. Reborn immediately brought his right leg up and slammed his knee straight into Colonello's stomach, stopping the laughter midway and sending the blonde flying. Fong sighed from behind, remaining close to Tsuna, and watched as the two men began to fight. It was too common of an occurrence, he just hoped that they didn't destroy anything important this time. They were paying enough already for new furniture.

"Is this normal?" Tsuna looked up at the other man, blinking his eyes for a second to stare into those calm onyx-colored eyes. Just looking at the other made him relax despite the chaos.

"Well…yeah. Those two get into arguments often. Too often. It's best to ignore them until they finish, it's not worth the trouble stopping unless you're willing to get hurt as well," Fong glanced around the room, bringing a sleeve up to his face to cover his mouth, and motioned Tsuna to move closer to him. He examined the arguing two and turned away. "Hmm…it would appear this might go on for a while and I was hoping the others got the message, but I take it they didn't. So you'll have to meet everyone else at a different time. They were all quite curious when they heard Reborn took an interest in someone. Skull, the man who just left was too, but he had an emergency to take care of."

Tsuna shook his head, smiling softly. "It's fine. I'm just kinda glad that I was finally able to meet Reborn's friends. He seemed more of a loner so I was a little surprised when he said he did."

"Ah, that's Reborn for you, but he'll have friends even though he tries to fight it," the older man peered at the still arguing two, Reborn and Colonello, as they threw fists and cursed each other out. Tsuna stared as well, not sure on how to stop them, but with the rate of them quarrelling like that, he knew that it was best to follow Fong's advice and not intervene. He was certain that one of those punches would come right at him by accident. And they looked like it would hurt terribly. Fong nudged Tsuna to get his attention. "So how old are you? I'm quite curious. Our kind doesn't age normally like yours does."

"I'm twenty-one actually. I guess that's young in your years though."

"Yes, it is. To us, you're nothing more than a child."

"Really?"

Fong nodded and motioned Tsuna to follow him into the kitchen, away from the yelling. The brunet took one last glance at the two before trailing behind and settled into one of the chairs in the room. "Yes, you wouldn't believe our ages if I told you and I doubt Reborn wants anyone to know his. If anything, it would be best if you ask him yourself. But don't worry about it, Tsuna. Age means nothing to us. Would you like some tea?"

"Oh, yes please. Thank you." the brunet muttered, his thoughts going over the information, but decided it wasn't worth the time, he probably wouldn't get it anyway. Leaning against the table, he crossed his arms on top, staring at the other in question. It wouldn't hurt to ask right? "So…um…well, I saw Reborn's other form and-"

Fong snapped around, his long braid flipping in accordance. "You saw his form?" his onyx-colored eyes were wide with shock and he stared dubiously at the brunet. "Sorry for interrupting you like that, but he's doesn't like going into that form. I'm quite amazed that he actually showed you."

Tsuna blinked for a second before continuing. "Well, it was kinda an accident. I got myself attacked and he transformed to take the beast out. It was really cool though."

"Cool? I…see," the Asian-like man stared at Tsuna as if something was off, but didn't question it at all. It was normal, right? For a human? Fong knew that most of his kind cowered at the thought of being next to a transformed Reborn. The thought of it made many run in fear and scream for mercy. The raven meant death to them. "Anyway, you were saying before?"

"Oh, yes, I was wondering what your form is. I mean, everyone has one right? Or is it just Reborn?"

Fong couldn't help but chuckle at the curious expression, lifting up the warm tea pot from the stove. It was cute. Fixing up the drinks, he settled a cup in front of the brunet. "It's just us that can transform like that, or well, those who are powerful enough to do so. I can't say for the others, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell you mine. Or perhaps I should make you find out?" Smiling, he laughed again at the pout the other showed, watching as Tsuna leaned back and pushed out his bottom lip. "It's a fox."

"A fox?"

"Yes, a magical fox."

"You're all magical."

Fong smiled. "But of course."

Tsuna pouted once more. "So you're a fox, what color?" his big eyes revealed some sparkles, curiosity getting the better of him.

The older man continued to chuckle, enjoying the situation. "Now that you'll have to find out. Hmm? Oh? Looks like they're no longer yelling" As he turned in the chair, the two men stepped into the kitchen, looked messed up with a few bruises here and there and their clothes all disheveled. Reborn appeared the most normal compared to Colonello and tilted his fedora to the side to straighten it back up. "My, my, are you two done?"

"Obviously, kora." Colonello flopped down onto the chair and grumbled under his breath, glaring at the other person on the other side of the room. He reached up to fix his bandana, tightening the bow.

Reborn didn't say anything in response, settling next to Tsuna with his arms crossed. "So, what were you talking about?"

"Not much. Apparently, Tsuna knows about your other form," Fong smirked, his sharp eyes smirking and observing Reborn for any reactions. "Did you really save him? I never thought you would be willing do something like that. Perhaps you're getting soft."

"Reborn getting soft? Now that's funny, kora."

The raven growled under his breath, and turned away so that no one would see how embarrassed he was. "So what?"

"But I thought it looked cool and Reborn even flew me here. It was really kind of him." Tsuna smiled, glancing towards his friend, unaware of the extra stares. There was a smirk on Fong's lips, eager to gather more information out of the brunet. It wasn't often one could hear about Reborn acting different like this. He knew it was better to ask the little one than Reborn, that man was never going to say anything unless he felt like it.

"Tsuna, how long have you been meeting with Reborn?"

"Oh, about a month or two, I think."

"Hmm, is that so? What do you like to talk about?"

"That's enough." Reborn sneered, silencing the table. Fong looked quite disappointed but didn't go any further, knowing that it was better to keep quiet. The conversation soon derived into different matters like Tsuna's feelings towards this world. The brunet figured out real fast that the two other Meraviglians were just as curious as Reborn is about Earth and questioned many similar things.

Before long, Tsuna glanced down at his watch, checking up on the time. It had been six hours since his arrival. "Oh, I better head back before someone starts questioning my disappearance." That was a complete and total lie, no one would really check on him but he knew better than to overstay his welcome. But how was he supposed to head back? The exit portal to his own world was far away. Reborn huffed, knowing about Tsuna's questioning gaze and stood up from the table. He straightened out his clothes before turning to the brunet.

"I'll take you back."

"Thanks. Oh, that's right. Better give you this before I forget," Rumbling through his bag, he pulled out the packed food he was supposed to give to Reborn and placed it on the table along with the drink. "I'm afraid everything must be cold by now, but I think if you warm it up, it should be fine."

"Ah, thanks." the raven eyed the goods and glared at the two other people at the table, warning them that if they touched it, they'd be losing some fingers. Three books were also placed down, mainly novels that were hanging around his place. As the two left the house, Fong and Colenello glanced at each other.

"I have a very strong feeling that we'll be seeing more of Tsuna around here."

"No kidding, kora."


	7. Chapter 7

Tsuna sighed, it was another class day, another _boring_ class day. Listening to the lecture go on in front has never been his thing, especially when he was supposed to understand something he obviously didn't. He wanted nothing more than to simply skip class and never show up, but then that would alert his family of what he has been doing and a visit from them was the worst outcome he'd rather avoid. He didn't want to see any of them, they were simply people that he happened to be related to. The feelings of love between them were nonexistence and Tsuna had long closed himself off.

"Sawada, are you in there?" A rolled up paper smacked Tsuna on the head, alerting the brunet that he had accidently drifted off during the lecture. He blinked his large honey-colored eyes for a moment, peering up at the professor, and stared in question, wondering what was going on. The other man just sighed, knowing that this student was completely hopeless, it was so obvious that the other hadn't been paying attention from the very beginning. "Forget it, will someone else answer the question?"

Hands rose up, but it all went ignored as Tsuna went back to looking out the window, going into his own little world once more. He could hear some voices of his fellow classmates blurring into his mind, but his thoughts were much stronger. He wanted nothing more than to ignore the reality around him.

"Class dismissed."

Those two words managed to cut through and awaken his slumbering state enough for him to get up and grab his books. Immediately, he headed out, making his way towards one of the portals. He wanted to go to the other world, where his dear friend was at, a place where he felt like he belonged more to. It was much better than this one.

Of course, he was unaware he was being followed from behind, too deep in thought to notice.

As he stepped through the portal, regardless of the professors and engineers staring at him in question, he peered out into the open field with a small smile. He felt safer in this world, more so than at home, especially when he knew that there was someone here who cared enough for him. He held onto his school books carefully, wondering if he should head towards the field or wait for the other here.

However, Tsuna didn't have to wait long for something to happen when the portal behind him reopened. He blinked in surprise, not expecting someone else to come through, and watched as three of his classmates came through, recognizing them as some other bullies that enjoyed picking on him. 'Oh no…' Backing up, he hoped that he wouldn't be noticed by them and get away as soon as possible before any trouble occurred. In spite of that, this was an open field, there was no chance of being able to escape undetected.

"Oh look, there's Dame-Tsuna. Where were you heading off to? Hmm?" one of them spoke happily, gaining distance on the brunet and stopped to stare down with a grin.

Tsuna cowered under the look, taking a step back in response. "Um…well, I was about to head out to see if I could find something…" he glanced around, wondering if he would be able to escape this but found nothing more than just the regular forest and he wasn't sure about his classmates' Assurers. Would they call for them to attack him like the others before? "So, I'll be going now."

As he tried to back away, one of his other classmates grabbed his shoulder, holding him still. "Now, now, tell us what you're looking for? Surely we can help. After all, you're practically defenseless without a contract. You'll need someone like us to protect you, right?"

"B-but…" Tsuna tried to argue back, but found himself unable to when the hand on him tightened. Wincing, he stared up at the students, wondering to himself what was going to happen. He didn't want to go, he really didn't.

As he thought that, a strong breeze rushed through, ruffling his hair for a moment, and he glanced behind him. He knew that aura, there was only one person he could think of that contained such a rich darkness. It seemed the other noticed the presence and turned towards the direction, watching as a humanoid paced through the trees. "Chaos," Reborn spoke, stepping forward with his hands inside his pockets, his curly sideburns bouncing lightly. "That human there is coming with me, I'd appreciate it if you let him go." Looking over the group for a split second, he reached forward when he got close enough to grab Tsuna, yanking him away from the classmates. His dark eyes quickly assessed the brunet over before moving him behind, glaring at the younger kids, and watched as they shivered at his looks.

"Who…" one of them whispered. "Who are you? Are you…a friend of Tsuna's?"

"That's right. And I'll be taking him. He was supposed to come with me so go bother someone else." Reborn continued to hold onto Tsuna's shoulder and didn't lighten up his glare. He had enough experience with the previous ones to know that these idiots might not hesitate to call upon their Assurers to fight, and though he knew he could protect both himself and Tsuna, he didn't want to risk it.

"But…aren't you a Meraviglian?" the taller of the classmates questioned, looking over the humanoid, before his expression turned into one of glee. It was as if he could feel the power flowing from the other. "Hey, why don't you make a contract with me? That way you'll be hanging out with someone better than Dame-Tsuna over there. Surely that idiot can't do most things and only cause you trouble." he reached forward to point at the brunet who was hiding behind the raven in fear. Those honey-colored eyes were wide with dread, peering up at Reborn for a moment, wondering what the other would do. Would he really leave him?

Reborn narrowed his eyes further before making a disagreeing grunt and for a moment, Tsuna thought he saw some darkness misting up from the raven's body. His classmates backed up for a moment, glancing at each other with questions in their eyes before turning back to the being in front of them. Suddenly, Reborn waved his hand as if flicking it, and at first the college students thought nothing happened and was about to say something in return, but a strong gust of wind blew in, strong enough to pick the humans up off the ground. They were sent flying into the air like gravity had stopped working, twirling like leaves trapped on a drift. The raven's other arm wrapped around Tsuna's shoulders, keeping the human to the ground and watched as the others shot off into the distance, desperately summoning their Assurers to save themselves from falling to their doom. Tsuna blinked and peered up at the other curiously, his long strands of hair fluttering from the force, tickling his cheeks.

"T-thanks."

"Hmm." Reborn didn't reply and instead transformed, glancing at Tsuna with an obvious order in his eyes. This time Tsuna didn't hesitate in getting up, hanging on for dear life as the raven took off for the skies, away from the troublemakers that were making their way back to the ground safely.

"So…we're heading back to your friends?"

"That's right. Apparently now that I've shown you to them, they want to keep meeting up and know more about you. They are now fully aware of my meetings with you."

Tsuna blinked, listening to Reborn's tone of voice. "Are you okay with that?"

There was a slight pause before the older one huffed. "It's fine." he peered back at the brunet for a moment before narrowing his eyes slightly. 'That's because I have a strong feeling that you'll need all the help you can get.'

* * *

"Oh, welcome back, Tsuna," Fong smiled brightly as the two stepped into the house, getting up from the couch where a discarded book was lying on the stand with his arms hidden within his red sleeves. He made a small nod towards the raven before turning his attention back to the brunet, noticing the way the younger seemed to tense up. "Would you like something to drink? Tea perhaps?"

Tsuna blinked, a little uncertain at the attitude he was given and glanced down at the floor for a moment before looking back. He wasn't comfortable with the attention, too used to the negative he was generally faced with. "D-do you have…green tea?"

For a moment, Fong blinked at the sight of cuteness as Tsuna had his cheeks rosy red in embarrassment before chuckling in amusement. He couldn't help but reach over and pat the brunet on the head, rubbing into the soft caramel-colored locks, and watched in amusement as that redness darkened in color. "Yes, I do. Do you want it with honey? Or sugar, perhaps?"

"H-honey, please."

"Alright then." the fox smiled softly before heading into the kitchen to begin heating up the water. He looked pleased with the results, fumbling through the cabinets to get the tea bags. Reborn stood at the entrance for a moment, hands in his pockets, before looking down at the brunet with an eyebrow raised.

"You're human, right?"

Tsuna blinked and tilted his head to the side. "Huh? What?"

"Never mind." Reborn stalked forward, completely ignoring the questioning look Tsuna gave, heading into the kitchen. He immediately settled into one of the chairs and crossed his legs, leaning back with his arms folded across his chest. His fedora was tilted over his eyes for a moment before looking back up to observe Fong working on that tea, before going back to Tsuna who was following along. Though he didn't show it, he was deep in thought. Meanwhile, the brunet pouted, not liking to be ignored like that, and went to Fong's side to see if he could help with anything. However, the Chinese man simply shook his head, having complete control of everything and motioned the human to sit.

"This feels so odd." Tsuna whispered under his breath, slumping his shoulders downwards as if he had been defeated.

Reborn raised another eyebrow at that. "Why's that?"

"Normally I'm the one to cook, not someone else."

"Is that so…" the raven tilted his head for a moment before an idea came into his mind. He turned to Fong as the other came by with the pot of tea and three cups, carefully pouring the hot liquid into each one. "Fong, whose turn is it to cook tonight?"

At that, the fox twitched, pausing in his movement before moving again. For a moment, he looked like he was about to spill the tea. "It's Verde."

Immediately, Reborn turned to the human. "Tsuna, you're cooking tonight."

"EH?" Tsuna snapped his head up at that, shock apparent all over his expression, clearly surprised,with his eyes wide.

"You're staying to cook. I refuse to have Verde do so," Reborn twitched at that, flicking his fedora up for a moment. "And since you're here, I'll take advantage of getting good food, comparing to his."

Fong peered between the two, trying to understand what was going on. There was confusion before he figured things out. "Oh, Tsuna can cook? Well I guess that would explain the food from yesterday. Reborn was quite protective of it, he refused to share any with us," he looked at the raven, watching for any changes in expression, except he saw nothing. It was quite disappointing. "But if Reborn enjoys your food, then I wouldn't mind trying it either. But I doubt everyone will show up today though, seeing as it's Verde's turn." Tsuna blinked curiously at that. "Let's just say that he's a terrible cook, you wouldn't want to eat his stuff. He's a scientist and has a habit of experimenting with the food whenever he cooks, even when the ingredients don't match up."

"I…see." the brunet could already picture the terrible outcomes for that, wondering if it was alright for a person to exist like that. He momentarily thought back to his older brothers and paled, no, wait, they were just as bad. Besides his mother, he was the only one in the family that could actually cook, the rest were completely useless in the kitchen. They had an ability to create more chaos and make more if a mess than anyone he knew. He remembered one time his older brother, Dino, melted one of the spatulas from leaving it in the pan for two hours while the fire was burning. "Well, I have no problem with that. And I have an afternoon class tomorrow so I can go back late today…well, I don't think it would matter. I never cared much for the classes."

"Excellent, the kitchen is all yours." Fong smiled, nudging the brunet forward to get to work. He peered at Reborn for a moment before heading out of the area, leaving the two to themselves. The raven peeked at the retreating figure through the corner of his eyes and smirked, knowing that Fong was up to something and he was going to find out what sooner or later. But he knew there was no harm in letting it play out at this moment. Fong was never the person that would intentionally harm someone without reason.

As Tsuna got to work on the food, pulling out all sort of spices from the cabinets, he yanked out various pots and pans, examining them with professional-looking eyes before picking out two that were good in his point of view. Reborn raised an eyebrow at that, wondering what was different about each kitchen utensil, it didn't really matter all that much to him. Just as the brunet started tossing things into the pot, the front door opened and in walked Colonello, who the moment he stepped into the kitchen, paused to take a double look over the setting.

"Verde's not cooking, kora?" the blonde stared at Tsuna - who didn't hear the newcomer arrive, much less move away from his cooking - for a moment before going back to Reborn. 'Back already?'

"Verde is not cooking tonight."

"Oh, thank god, kora."

"That's all of our expressions, idiot." Reborn snorted, leaning further back into his seat, no longer listening to the clanking of pots and the movement of Tsuna.

The blonde shrugged his shoulders. "I was prepared to escape and get out of here as fast as possible. Lal Mirch won't be coming today though, when she heard, she ran for the hills. Viper is hanging out at his favorite place for milk tea and Skull is on a job right now. He should come back later tonight though, kora."

"So that leaves just us, Fong, and Verde today. Though if Verde finds out he doesn't have to cook-"

"He won't come out." Fong interrupted as he stepped back into the room, sighing softly. He peered over the three for a man for a moment and shook his head. He should have known that this would happen. Verde was too devoted to his science and considered coming up to eat a waste of precious time.

The blonde snorted and flopped down in one of the chairs with his arms folded behind his head. "That's fine with me. He doesn't say anything when we do eat together anyway so it shouldn't really matter, kora."

"Colonello…" the Asian sighed before going to Tsuna to see what was going on and smiled at the delicious smell that seemed to radiate from the pots. "Ah, that looks good."

"T-thanks…it'll take a little longer to be ready. Please sit until then."

"Alright. Well then, I think it's about time Reborn tells us what's going on, right Colonello?" Stepping closer to the raven, Fong smiled gently though the others could see the mischievous glint in his sharp eyes. Reborn 'tsked' and turned away, already thinking of ways to get out of this. He didn't want to talk about his relationship with Tsuna, it was odd enough as it is. But he knew that look from Fong, the other wasn't going to give up until he got his answers, but like hell Reborn was going to make it easy.

* * *

"Thank you for the meal, Tsuna," Fong smiled gently, placing his empty dish into the sink. "I must admit that your cooking is wonderful. I enjoyed it." he watched as the brunet blushed happily and tried to stutter out some words, but none were clear. Reaching over, he patted the younger man on the head, feeling the soft caramel-colored locks underneath his fingers again, enjoying the soft sensation. "You should come here more often. I don't think anyone would ever mind having you here."

"Y-You mean that?" Tsuna stared up at the Chinese-looking man with a hesitant smile, hope shining in his eyes. "I can come here from now on?"

"But of course. You're coming from Earth, right? If you put the right coordinates in, you should arrive here directly, but I think it'll be best to arrive on the outside. I'd rather not have any random visitors coming here, if you know what I mean." Reaching over, Fong grabbed a piece of paper to write down the information. "Ah, that's right. You have class, yes? On those days, if possible, try to separate yourself from them and arrive here. If not, here's Reborn's phone number as well as mine and Colonello's. If you need a lift, just call us to let us know."

Reborn huffed from the other side of the kitchen, still eating. "You're doing quite a lot for someone you just met, Fong." he took a bit of spicy peanut sauce curry that was mixed with white rice.

The raven was only met with a smile. "Well, anyone that is on your good side must be alright. And seeing as you brought him here without any arguments, that only heightens my belief. I'm also quite curious in what you see in him. After all, you don't even act like this to just anyone, right? So he's staying." the others didn't say much, continuing to eat without a care. Fong chuckled softly and handed over the information without a second thought, Tsuna could only take it with a smile. It was so odd for him to receive something like this. He stared at the paper as if it was an alien, wondering if it was all a lie and would vanish before his eyes at any time. But it didn't. Instantly, he broke out into a large grin and closed his eyes, glad that he was finally getting somewhere with people. Things were starting to look up.

"Am I allowed to come anytime?"

"Of course."

"Thank you so much!" Tsuna tightened his hold on the paper and tucked it into his pants, noting to himself to put everything into his phone. He wanted to keep everything forever. As he sat down to join everyone in their talk, he felt something nudge against his leg to the right and glanced over towards Reborn. Tilting his head, he blinked questionably, wondering what the other wanted. Then the raven muttered some words that made Tsuna smile once more. He took a few moments to answer, but when he did, his face seemed to darken in color. "Yeah…I am."

Taking a look at the group, he really felt himself being welcomed despite his problems and some turned to him to ask some questions. It was a really warm place. It was a feeling he didn't want to forget, a feeling he wanted to keep forever. He really did like it here.

_"Are you happy?"_


	8. Chapter 8

"Tsuna," the brunet twitched his nose in frustration, wondering who was shaking him before drifting off again, too comfortable to even try and wake up. He didn't want to, it was too warm and his pillow was nice and soft. "Tsuna."

There was that nudge again, this time harder and much more forceful. He shifted in his sleep, trying to get away from those touches before slowly opening his eyes to look up into dark black orbs that were staring down at him. He blinked curiously, trying to connect who those belonged to. But his mind was still fast asleep, the gears in his head stuck frozen, and he was ready to drift back off once more. Those said eyes narrowed in annoyance and soon Tsuna felt a kick to his side. Now _that_ jolted him awake.

"Huh?" Sitting up, he rubbed his eyes, trying to clear his vision before glancing down at his throbbing side. It hurt, but luckily, it wasn't that bad. Years of being bullied had built up a tolerance for pain. However, the moment he looked down, that was when he noticed he wasn't on his bed. 'I'm not in my room? Then…' Peering back up at those dark eyes, his vision slowly began to widen and his mind started connecting the dots. That fedora hat with a yellow stripe around it was far too familiar. "Reborn?"

"Hey! How late do you plan on sleeping, idiot? Do you know what time it is?" Reborn grumbled, lifting his arm up to flick Tsuna on the forehead, hoping a little more pain would bring the brunet back into reality. It was hard to get him to stir even when he was giving punches hard enough to leave a bruise, but Tsuna just slept through it like it was nothing.

"Huh?" Confusion was still evident in those honey-colored eyes, his mind slowly processing his surroundings. Wasn't this the living room in Reborn's place? How'd he get here?

As if sensing the questions running through Tsuna's head, Reborn answered on the spot. "You accidently fell asleep on the couch after dinner."

"I did?"

"Obviously," the raven grumbled under his breath. "Seeing as Fong couldn't stir you no matter how many times he shook you, we all decided it was best to let you sleep over. And then you had this iron grip on one of the pillows so neither of us could pull that away from you so we tossed a blanket on you and went to bed."

Tsuna continued to blink, doziness gradually starting to recede. "Oh…oops…" A light tint of red decorated his cheeks in embarrassment and he scratched the back of his head. "T-thanks for letting me sleep over. That…wasn't really on my to-do list. By the way, what time is it?"

"Eleven o'clock."

"AH!" Immediately, the brunet shot up, almost tripping over his own feet in the process. He was still wearing his uniform from yesterday, but it was all wrinkled, not that he cared. His hair was all ruffled, sticking out in odd directions, and he ran his fingers through them to straighten it out to its usual setting. "I have class in two hours! I have to go back!"

"Well, you would have gotten up earlier if you had actually responded." Reborn grumbled, folding his arms across his chest.

"S-sorry…" Tsuna slumped his shoulders, pouting slightly in defeat. He hadn't expected himself to pass out like that and so easily. Normally, he was a deep sleeper, but to actually sleep through everything? Well…he wasn't that surprised, it would happen one day. Still…"Thanks for waking me up."

"It's fine. I got to see something funny out of it."

"Funny?" At that, the brunet tilted his head in confusion. Did something happen while he was asleep? It must have.

"Yeah, Skull came back after you fell asleep and almost sat on you," Reborn smirked, still remembering the incident. "When he realized there was someone there, he screamed, tripped over the table, fell backwards and got himself stuck with his legs strung up in the air. His expression was hilarious and he was pointing at you as if you were some monster." Tsuna's blush of embarrassment only darkened in color at those words, but at the same time, there was a small smile slipping through. He didn't think he would be able to do something like that. As he listened to Reborn go on about the incident from last night, the brunet spotted a little bit of movement from the side, watching as a purple-haired man step from behind the kitchen wall. Reborn noticed the new addition to the room and smirked. "Oh look, there's the idiot number two."

"Shut up, Reborn! That wasn't my fault! Why was he sleeping there of all places in the first place?" Skull grumbled, stomping forward in anger, throwing a hissy fit in front of the two. Tsuna took that moment to examine the other, looking over the purple and black jumpsuit and the multiple chains and piercing on the face. Though Skull looked like some sort of punk, he didn't seem all the scary.

"What was that lackey?" Reborn's aura darkened for a moment, making the purple-haired man cower and shut up. Tsuna looked between the two and just smiled gently, laughing as the two continued to fight, well, one-sidedly. He peered up at a nearby clock and noticed that half an hour had passed.

"Oh no! I really need to head back now!" the brunet cried out, grabbed all his things he left behind and ran up to Reborn with pleading eyes. "Reborn, could you please send me back to the portal? I need to head back before I'm late."

"Yeah, yeah, come on," the raven flicked his fedora upward and turned to glance at Skull, who was still cowering. "Before I forget, that's Skull, the idiot. Idiot, this is Tsuna."

Tsuna blinked at the greeting and glanced at the pointed out person with a strained smile. "It's nice to meet you, I would say more if I wasn't in a rush." he turned back to Reborn and grabbed hold of his arm, trying to drag the taller man out, desperate to get back. It was probably the most courageous thing he has ever done to someone and he didn't register it in his mind at all. All that mattered was that he got back as soon as possible, regardless of the consequences later on. Skull stared at the retreating two, questions burning in his eyes.

"Did Reborn just allow himself to be dragged?"

* * *

Tsuna collapsed onto his desk, the stress he had been feeling finally gone. By some miracle, he had made it just in time before the school bell rang. His head was resting on the hard surface, letting the coolness of the wood soak his humid face. It felt good and he enjoyed the feeling, sighing in relief. When that spot got warm, he shifted to another one to get that same sensation again. Luckily for him, it was now break since the teacher had ran out earlier for an emergency - some students were fighting in the back of the school with their Assurers. If Tsuna was right, it might take half an hour to an hour before things were straightened up. 'Well, at least this is better than actually having class. I wonder if I left, would they notice?'

Sitting up for a moment, he stared at his textbook that was opened up to some page the professor had been talking about before he needed to leave. The words on it didn't register in his mind and he was tempted to just close it and use it as a substitute pillow to get some shut eye. It was a wonderful thought, one he was really tempted to go through.

"Hey, you know," a voice spoke up from behind Tsuna, catching the brunet's attention for a moment. He peered back towards the person, looking over her in curiosity, wondering what she wanted. Tsuna hoped it wasn't one of those girls that liked to make fun of him. But then again, who else would want to talk to him besides teasing. Anyway, the student had the normal color of black for hair and eyes for those in Japan, but that look in those orbs showed that she was smarter than most in the class. "If you don't want to be here, you could always leave."

The brunet blinked and tilted his head, still getting over the shock that someone was actually talking to him and not scolding him for being an idiot. It took him a moment to process a response. "I...was forced."

"Oh? Then this makes complete sense," Hana, the female's name - he remembered from the roll call - grumbled and unfolded her arms to settle down next to the other in the seat behind. She ignored the stares from the other classmates, not really caring for their opinions. For a moment, Tsuna heard the words 'idiotic monkeys' under her breath. "Well, I'm Hana and you're Dame-Tsuna, or Tsuna, correct?"

"Y-yeah..."

"So, I take it that your family is forcing you to come here, right?" When she got a nod from the brunet, she sighed. "And of course, you can't argue because your family is too powerful to go against." Another nod though this was much weaker, as if he didn't want to say anything on the matter. But Hana didn't care, she always wanted to know what was going on. The rest of her classmates were too easy to figure out, but Tsuna on the other hand, was different, he was the loner of the school. But Hana never thought of Tsuna as a bad person compared to the other students in the school, who were making contracts to up their status or were going to use them for terrible deeds. No, Tsuna resisted making one and refused to participate in any of the events. It was like he was against fighting all together, something that was different compared to the rest of the school."Too bad for you. Guess you're kinda stuck, huh?"

"Yeah..." Tsuna's shoulders slumped further depressingly, wishing for nothing more than to disappear. He stared down at his textbook for a moment and then back up. He needed to change topics, he didn't want to talk about his family anymore. It always made him feel so miserable. "Um...could you...help me for a second?"

"What?" Hana narrowed her eyes for a moment, knowing that the other was trying move away from their current conversation, but went with it. Having the brunet back away before she managed to get anything out wasn't what she wanted to happen.

"Do you understand what this means?" Tsuna pointed down to a chapter in the textbook, something about the other world he hadn't really read up on. Actually, the whole book was foreign, he'd never touched it except in class.

Hana raised an eyebrow at that and nodded her head, finding it alright. Normally she would charge money or get some favors for doing such things, but with the meekness of the brunet, she decided that she'd just feel guilty. It was like if she did anything, she'd automatically be in the wrong. Her eyes peered over the words and grumbled. "You're kidding, that's beginners stuff," At the shrinking of the brunet, she sighed once more. She should have expected it, the other never paid attention to class, regardless of being there every day. "It's about the ranks of Meraviglians."

"Ranks?" Tsuna looked closer, but still didn't get it. There were too many things to follow, too many things that means other things. He was just getting confused the more he looked at it.

"Yeah. Like low-class, middle-class, it's the same as the human population here on Earth in terms of social status, but for them it's in power-wise. Of course, there are the sub-units like upper and lower, but we won't get into that. Anyway, you've seen a lot of the Assurers here during class right? Those that look somewhat mindless and followed the Capturer's orders are those low-class, those are the easiest to defeat and make a pact with. There are, of course, more of them, but remember, the higher you go, the more powerful and the smarter they get. So there's a higher chance that the upper of the low-class might fight back harder or run away before any of us can do anything, unlike the lower which would fight a losing battle regardless," Hana paused to allow time for Tsuna to process the information and when she thought it was enough, she went on. "There are of course the top ten percent, the small fraction that are considered the most powerful. There are some groups in that area, one of them called Millefiore and the other the Arcobaleno. They are the best of the best ,but no one has ever seen any of them."

"I see..." Tsuna pondered for a moment before remembering something. Reborn had two different forms, weren't they only supposed to have only one form? That was something he had wanted to ask for a while. Fong stated that only the strong had that ability, but he knew there was something more to that. "What about those that have two forms?"

Hana sighed, rubbing her forehead. She couldn't believe how behind the brunet was, but answered the question regardless. It would waste some time, better than listening to those idiots behind talk about how cool their Assurers are. "Those are considered Upper-class, the more powerful they get the more "human"-looking they appear. But that's not always true, of course. But regardless, those of that class have two forms. It's to show just how powerful they really are."

At that Tsuna paused, paling a little as he connected the dots. Does that mean Reborn was really powerful, like, extremely? And his friends were supposedly the same. Just what had he gotten himself into? Hana stared at the other for a moment and raised an eyebrow at the expression, not sure if she should laugh or be concerned.

"Well, anyway, you don't have an Assurer yet, right?" Tsuna shook his head slowly, letting his long bangs brush against his cheeks. "I'll show you what a high middle-class one looks like. Her name is Kyoko," Hana stood up and closed her eyes for a moment, citing some incantations under her breath, and a circle appeared under his body, glowing in a yellow color. Tsuna noted the attribute as light and listened as Hana called out to her Assurer. "Kyoko, I call thee. Appear before my eyes!" A small puff of smoke appeared in the area, surrounding Hana for a moment, and Tsuna almost backed away, if it wasn't already disappearing. As it faded away, a woman stood in the area next to Hana with a bright smile on her face. She was dressed in normal-looking clothes, but there was a symbol on her arm that proved that she belonged to Hana, it was circular-like with an odd slash in the middle. The other students in the room looked over for a moment, eyeing the Assurer before going back to their own discussion, not caring about the two. It wasn't uncommon to have one summoned in the middle of the room.

"Oh, Hana! It's so good to see you again! I wished you had called me earlier and I would have brought over some cake to share." Kyoko's smile seemed to brighten and got near her Capturer happily.

"That's too bad. I wouldn't mind trying some. They're really good. Well, I hope I wasn't interrupting anything."

"Of course not! I like it whenever you call me. It just makes my day much more interesting," Kyoko continued to chatter before she noticed the brunet student still sitting in his seat, watching them both curiously. "Oh! Who's this?"

"Tsuna, I'm giving him a few lessons and needed to show him the difference between a low-class and a middle-class."

The brunet blinked, glancing down at his feet as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. He felt a little embarrassed that he didn't know about these sorts of things, but that's what he got for not paying attention. "H-hi."

The blond girl returned the gesture. "So, Hana, you want me to explain about myself?" When she received the confirmation, she turned back to the brunet. "Well, as you already know or can tell, I'm not really the fighting type. Instead, I work better in the healing area and use defensive spells to protect myself. For example," Kyoko looked over the brunet and noticed a small cut on his hand, probably from falling or something, and cast a quick spell. A small light surrounded the wound and eventually, it vanished, leaving behind intact skin. "That's my healing properties. It's limited to small things, but it's great during a battle."

Tsuna took a look at it, inspecting the once there cut he had gotten for tripping during school before smiling. "Ah, thanks."

"It's alright. Hey, Hana, have you told him the advantages for Assurers for certain contracts?"

"No, I haven't."

"Then I'll do it," Kyoko turned back to the little brunet, who seemed to have a look of confusion all over his expression, and stared between the two girls in question. "As you know, Assurers have many reasons as to why they want to be bonded. Besides those that simply want to, the more often used reason is because of the adventure, but there are also those that want to move up in the class system. Like a low-class one who makes a contract with someone that's compatible can move to a middle-class. Depending on the person, they can be given special skills, powerups, and many others. But it just depends on the Capturer, not all are the same, though I have heard that some humans have a weakened version of our attributes which would explain it. These worlds are connected, I wouldn't be surprised if there were some similarities here and there. Anyway, if a Capturer who has a fire attributes makes a pact with a fire-based Meraviglian then there will definitely be some links there."

Tsuna nodded his head, wanting the blonde to continue. This sounded way more interesting than those boring lectures his professors were always giving. And for once, he was actually making sense of it. Now that he thought about it, why hadn't Reborn told him any of this from before? He shrugged his shoulders, Reborn probably had his reasons, ones he would most likely never find out.

"Anything else you'd like to ask?" Kyoko just smiled, looking elegant in the way she stood with hands connected together.

"Yeah, if you don't mind. Who are these upper-class Meraviglians? Arcobaleno? Millefiore?"

For a moment, the blonde winced before going back to normal. Her smile was much more strained than before, but was still there, holding up. Hana noticed the changed immediately as well, taking a step forward. "I don't know much on the Arcobaleno, but Millfoire is, well, dangerous. They aren't friendly to anyone and I've heard that the boss is insane or something. It's just rumors but you never know. I'd avoid that group as much as possible and not mess with any of them for obvious reasons," she sighed, shoulders slumping for a moment, with her smile dropping in reaction. "Actually, my older brothers accidently got into a fight with them before and would have been killed if it wasn't for some human who intervened at the last moment. I'm quite grateful for what he's done since if he hadn't been there at that time, I might have never seen them again."

"Oh…"

"It's alright. Things happen, I always knew that one day my brothers would go knocking on trouble's door. But they've devoted their lives to helping the one that saved them. I don't really know who this person is though. Wish I could meet him."

"Well, I'm glad everyone is okay," Tsuna smiled, happy to see that the blonde was cheerful again. Hana continued to watch over the scene and smirked, knowing there was something off with the brunet. There was…something special about him, she couldn't put her finger on it. She'd better keep an eye out just in case. "Oh, that's right, Hana. Those with contracts have fighting tournaments and classes, right? How do those go?"

Seeing as the attention was back on her, Hana leaned over with her arm propped on the table, holding her head up. "I can't join in those. Kyoko isn't a fighting type so I have an excuse. But it's basically to show who has the strongest Assurer during those tournaments, it's stupid really. You can willingly join or be forced to go for a grade. It has the usual rules, no killing, no cheating, etc. You know, the basics. As for the classes, it depends. For me, I have the defensive classes, obviously. But there are those that use spells or use physical attacks. I've never been in any of them so I don't know what's going on." Hana huffed, disappointed that she didn't know anything about those places. If there was one thing she prided herself on, it was information and knowing everything about those classes even when she wasn't in them herself.

"I see. Well, thanks for letting me know. I think I understand things a little bit better than before." Tsuna nodded his head, feeling a little bit smarter than when he had first entered the room and more informative about the other world. Kyoko nodded her head and turned to Hana for a moment to say something. Soon after, a puff of smoke surrounded her and she disappeared, heading back to her world. Just as that happened, the professor came back, looking distressed, yet relieved at the same time. His once neat clothes were all ruffled up and there were a few tears here and there. Tsuna listened to the whispers that the fight had escalated to a full battle, demanding the teachers to summon for help to control the setting.

"Alright class, get back into your seats. We still need to finish up today's lecture and talk about tomorrow's battle settings to test one's skills. You can talk about what happened today later."

Tsuna pouted and watched as Hana went back to her own seat at the front, leaving the brunet on his own. When the professor began, he found that he could understand the words just a little bit better. Just a little, the rest was still nonsense to him.

However, he couldn't get rid of the shiver that ran down his spine when he felt those bullies from yesterday glaring at him from behind. Why did he have such a bad feeling about tomorrow's battle…?


	9. Chapter 9

Reborn grumbled. It had been a week already, one _long_ week. He flicked his fedora up in frustration and stared out the window as if waiting for something to happen, his eyes searching the sky for anything. Not once had he sensed Tsuna's arrival during that long time since he had accidentally slept over, which was quite unusual seeing as the brunet came almost every day regardless of what day it was or if he had classes the same or very next day.

And during that long wait, Reborn couldn't shake off the feeling that something had happened, something terrible. For a while, he had been seriously tempted to go running out whenever he felt a tug in his chest, the thoughts of a harmed Tsuna coming into mind. He had thought it was just his imagination for the first few days, believing that the brunet was simply busy with school, but when he thought back, Tsuna'd never liked school, and he wouldn't stay back for anything.

Soon after, he started noticing the worried looks from the others that knew about Tsuna, many watching the outside world as well to feel for the brunet's welcomed arrival, Fong, mostly, but Colonello did so as well. Skull, Lal, and Viper weren't familiar with the human and didn't register him, Verde'd never once come up from his labs, so of course they weren't looking.

Reborn just grumbled to himself once more, tearing his eyes away from that bright blue sky.

He could go to Earth to check things out, to make sure that everything on Tsuna's side was alright. It wasn't hard to make his way up there, it was actually quite easy for someone of his level and he knew that the temptation of actually going was getting stronger. He wanted to leave, he _needed_ to know if everything was alright. And damn it, it was annoying! Growling, Reborn kicked his feet up onto the table and leaned back on his chair to peer at the ceiling. The silence in the house was terrible, it prickled at his mind, and it only got worst when the others were nearby. He started taking out his frustration on Skull, kicking him around, before turning on Colonello, who didn't hesitate to fight back.

'It couldn't hurt, right?' he thought to himself, closing his eyes to think. 'It couldn't hurt to see him.' Reborn then sighed quietly and found himself standing to make his way out of the shared house. Yes, it wouldn't hurt to check up on things, he wouldn't even need to reveal himself, just pop in to see the human and leave. Simple.

"Reborn," the raven perked slightly at the sound of another voice and glanced behind to see Fong standing in a doorway, looking at him quite seriously. The Chinese-looking man had an unusual frown on his lips and he flipped back his long braid that had fallen over his shoulder. His eyes shined with worry, staring directly into Reborn's. "Are you leaving to check on him?"

The raven 'tched' and turned away, he had been caught in the act and so soon. "Yeah. It's been too long."

At that, Fong sighed happily, looking relieved that Reborn was finally going. "Good. I've been having this terrible…feeling for a while. I can only hope that I'm wrong."

Reborn nodded his head at that and turned back to head out the door. 'I hope I'm wrong as well.' With that, his body shifted into his black feathered mass and took off into the sky, eventually evaporating from sight when he got high enough and tore through the barrier that separated the two worlds. Fong soon stepped out of the house, his eyes trained on the sky, knowing that Reborn had disappeared to the other world as soon as he could no longer sense that dark presence. He took a deep breath, he could only hope that everything was alright and that his feelings were off.

Meanwhile, the raven flew through the barrier, breaking through the multiple layers with ease, making his way towards Earth. The moment he arrived, creating a small crack in the blue sky which healed soon after, he knew immediately that things were different. The sky he was now flying in was denser, more polluted, than the one he was familiar with and the world below his body was filled with building and vehicles. There were white clouds instead of pink ones and the wind was much weaker. The people below were not in monster-like forms but humanoid only and he could easily smell the evils radiating off some of the humans.

Reborn shook his head, he had other things to do. He needed to find Tsuna, and fast. Searching out the brunet's scent in the wind, he caught a whiff of it after a little while and followed towards it. His large body had yet to shrink and darkness continued to flow from his form continuously, however, he was far too high for anyone to notice and flying directly above the sun only made things better. As he got closer to the scent, he spotted a large school in the distant, somewhat separated from the rest of the town, and immediately noted that that place was the main source he had been looking for.

Diving down, just outside the gates, he transformed back into his humanoid body and flexed the bones and muscles in his arms, trying to get the feeling back into them. It's been a while since he had remained in that form for that long, he could already feel his bones cracking at the stretch. His dark ebony eyes scanned over the place, taking note of the name and then at the way the school was built. With trained eyes, he could see the enforced metal and areas that had been repaired multiple times over the years, probably from fights that had occurred on the school grounds. 'Better go find the idiot.'

Stepping out from behind the wall of the school, he peered into the front yard, watching as students and professors alike wandered around the area freely. Some were even heading his way to leave the school, still in their uniforms while others disappeared within the building. Reborn grumbled, he would have difficulty sneaking around with this many people, but it wasn't impossible. With his skills, he could make his way in and out without being seen, but it was best if he didn't try to hide himself lest he arouse suspicion among the populace. Stepping into the area, he walked up to the first person he came across.

"Chaos," he flicked his fedora as a greeting. "Do you know where a person named Sawada Tsunayoshi is?" Reborn gave a smirk, watching as the female student turned to him with her eyes widening considerably. The girl immediately squealed at the sight of Reborn, a red tint decorating her cheeks and looked completely happy about something. She stumbled out some answers, most of them inaudible, but Reborn managed to pick out the most important stuff. Tsuna was in room 2016 on the west building. That was all he needed to know.

Giving a quick thanks to the girl, he stalked off, heading towards the direction the person had pointed out to him. He moved around the security, slipped out of the cameras' view, and snuck inside the west building without being spotted by anyone. There was no desk at the front of the building, just doors that he guessed to be dorm rooms. Luckily, the place had a decency to place a map just ahead and Reborn quickly looked over, memorizing the route, before heading towards the elevator to get in.

'Making me come all this way, that human will pay for this,' Reborn grumbled, shifting his fedora around, listening to the terrible music that was being played in this metal box. 'Still, I can't ignore the feeling that something bad had happened. Tsuna obviously enjoys coming over whenever he can, even on days he doesn't have class. So in order for him to miss a day would mean that…' As he thought about it, the doors opened, revealing a clean hallway and more maps at the front. His mind was still deep in thought the entire time and went towards Tsuna's doom room down to the right.

As he came up to it, he saw that there were some writing on the door and notes stuck on by tape. Many were yelling at how useless Tsuna was and calling him names. One managed to stick out the most, Dame-Tsuna. Reborn raised an eyebrow at everything before shaking his head, and knocked on the door. As first there was silence then he heard some crashes on the other side and a loud thump. Reborn knew the brunet was clumsy, but that was a little too much and sighed. Soon, he heard the clicking of the door being unlocked and the creaking of the handle as it flexed.

Tsuna narrowed his eyebrows in frustration, his left hand pushing the door open carefully, hoping and praying to not fall, much less meet someone he didn't want to. Reborn stood to the side, noticing the way the movement was forced and weak, the shaking in the limb already told him that his feeling had come true. No words passed his lips, only breaths of air. His eyes continued to stare at the brunet, who was staring down at the ground in wonder, looking kinda out of it.

"Tsuna."

The human jumped at that, poking his head out at the recognition of that voice. He knew that deep voice anywhere and smiled lightly at it. His eye peered at the dark individual and blinked, surprised that he was actually seeing the person before him. He never expected Reborn of all people to be on Earth to see him, of course, the question of how the other did it still remained in his mind.

Reborn didn't say anything else, emotions inside his eyes burning with rage. No, he was paying attention to only one thing, he didn't even care when one of the other dorm room doors opened to let a student out. His attention was completely on the brunet and his face darkened at the sight, his eyes traveling over Tsuna's body furiously. " _What the hell happened to you?"_

With that, the younger man flinched, letting out a choked gasp, but no sound came out. It was all silent. On the brunet's face and covering his left eye was an eye patch with a couple of bandages wrapped around it to hold it up. There was some reddening surrounding the spot as if poking out like a rash. His right arm was in a sling, a cast enveloped around it, and on his neck was layered with bandages, thick in the wrapping. Reborn's eyes narrowed at that last part, growling. "Tsuna, say something. _Now_."

The brunet's one eye saddened and could only look away, shaking his head depressingly. He couldn't say anything even if he wanted to.


	10. Chapter 10

_The brunet's one eye saddened and could only look away, shaking his head depressingly. He couldn't say anything even if he wanted to._

"You…" Sneering at the truth of the matter before him, finally realizing the reason why Tsuna couldn't come over to his world, Reborn shoved the brunet into the room and slammed the door behind him. He didn't bother with taking note of the dorm room, heading straight to the first paper and pencil he could find. Picking those up, he dropped them in front of the brunet on the dining table, the message clear of what he meant. "Write."

Tsuna nodded in compliance and used his left hand to begin writing. He had a somewhat difficult time since he wasn't used to writing with this hand and peered up at Reborn for some help. Motioning the other to hold out the paper, he continued on, trying to scribble out words as neatly as he could. Reborn sighed, settling down at the table where the human was working and took a better look over the brunet. There were numerous bruises all over, most of them still in the blue and purple stage, the color not having faded away just yet. Smaller cuts that had healed up over the short period were still viewable, some looking like he had been scratched at, others quite literally clawed.

Tsuna finished writing within minutes and pushed the paper over to Reborn, who stared at it. His hand went onto the paper, turning it around towards his direction, and peered down at the words, narrowing his eyes as he read. 'I got sent into a fight that was held by the school against a couple of my classmates by accident. They were the same people you had sent flying that time we meet. During the fight, they summoned their Assurers and used them against me. I couldn't fight back.'

"So you're telling me you got sent into a fight by the school who knew fully well that you didn't have a single pact and were expected to fight for your life. And by some odd chance it was the same bullies I had sent off flying that time I met you. Of course, it's pretty well known that it was impossible for you to fight back since you don't have a single contract," the brunet nodded. Reborn growled and tore the paper apart, tossing it into the trash can. "That's fucked up." the raven was quite tempted to materialize his guns and go on a rampage against how stupid the whole thing sounded. What kind of school would pull such a stunt on someone that could very well get killed? Someone must have been bribed to include Tsuna onto the battlefield when he should be exempted. That was the only possible explanation for something like this to happen. He held his growing dark feelings back, deciding that he needed to learn more before acting. "How bad are you injuries?"

Tsuna went back to writing, the older man continuing to hold down the paper. 'I have a fractured arm. That will take about five months to heal. My windpipe was nearly crushed, doctor said that I'm not allowed to talk to give it a chance to heal up. And my eye got hit during the fight. It's still red and was bleeding earlier, but it's starting to heal. Doctor said I was lucky it didn't damage anything and I'll be able to keep my eyesight. He wants to wait for a few weeks before checking on my vision.'

Reborn reexamined the words once more and shifted closer to get a better look. He reached over towards the neck, slowly peeling off the patch that covered it. Tsuna closed his eye, going still, and was able to feel the sensation of the bandages being pulled from his skin. It wasn't uncomfortable, it actually felt good like his skin was able to finally breathe from the tight squeeze that had been on it. Reborn twitched as he got to the skin underneath, seeing the dark bruises and claw markings covering the entire neck. It looked like someone had choked, no, did choke the other. Unable to look anymore, he wrapped it back up.

"You're not allowed to head out with those injuries right?" Tsuna shook his head at the question. "Class?" A nod. "Tch."

Tsuna smiled weakly at that, feeling the heave of his muscles on his neck and stopped immediately. It still hurt. Reaching over, he tugged at Reborn's sleeve to catch his attention. Once he had it, he pulled it as if wanting the other follow. The older man did, allowing himself to be guided along, and settled onto the couch as motioned, next to the brunet. Immediately afterwards, Tsuna laid down, leaning against the other, taking in the strong scent of cologne and warmth. He closed his eyes, well aware that Reborn was bringing his arm around his body to pull him closer. "I'm not a pillow, Tsuna." the brunet nudged closer in defiance, burying his body further against Reborn.

There was a sigh. "Fine, only this once, got it? I won't allow this again." There was a small sound from the back of Tsuna's throat. Sighing again, the raven shifted his position to let himself get more comfortable. His arm moved closer, letting his fingers run through the soft caramel-colored hair. He noted the bumps that were hidden inside the mass and growled at that. This was ridiculous. This wasn't supposed to happen to the brunet, not like this. His eyes glanced down to the soft face, watching the relaxed expression, Tsuna now fast asleep. Slowly, Reborn peered at the right arm that was in a cast and carefully lifted it up. Taking a deep breath, he started pulling the cast back.

* * *

Tsuna many times hated how terrible his life could get. It wasn't fair most of the time. Why did he have to be so weak? Why did he have to be the one that everyone hated? Either it be by his own family or his classmates. It wasn't fair. Tsuna sighed as he picked up his school papers from the desk in class, watching and listening as others left the room. He, on the other hand, was left all alone, no one to talk to and the hallway had gone silent. Well, it wasn't as if he could talk to anyone. His throat was still healing and he could barely make any sounds without any pain. People were already calling him even more useless than before. Well, it wasn't anything new.

The only person that really remained around him for such a long time was Reborn. The raven was actually staying in his dorm room, taking residence either on his couch or his bed. Of course, Tsuna had to pay for the extra expenses of his live-in guest, but he didn't care and he had plenty to spend. He had someone that was there for him and it wasn't for money or power. That felt really good. Of course, it still sucked that he couldn't talk. His classmates and other people never realized about Reborn even when the raven went walking around the campus to stretch his legs. It was funny, but Tsuna figured it was because the raven looked like a normal human.

Finishing up his packing, he wondered silently to himself what he should cook for dinner. Maybe something Reborn liked. He did have a strong liking towards Italian food, which was something Tsuna was used to making since he was half. His father was Italian and his mother Japanese though to many people, he looked like full-blooded Japanese except that his hair was a light brown instead of the typical dark brown to black. 'Maybe pasta, but what type?'

As he exited the room, he failed to notice three bodies standing outside the room until he accidently bumped into one. Tsuna winced at the hit, backing up a little to gain some space, and peered up. He held his books tightly in his grasp and bowed to apologize.

"Hey, watch where you're going, idiot." the person he bumped into sneered.

"Oi, isn't that Dame-Tsuna we beat up a week ago?"

The brunet snapped his head up at that, glancing over his three classmates, no, the ones that were the cause of his current pains.

"Oh, it is. Well, what do you know? And guess what I've heard? He's supposed to be rich. I mean, his family is loaded since his older brother is the boss of Vongola Corporation."

Tsuna felt a shiver run down his spine. He didn't like where this was going. Not at all. This hadn't been the first time someone had said such a thing and he doubted it would be his last. And every single time it happened, nothing good ever happened.

The three classmates smirked. "Tsuna, lend us some money. You have plenty right? Come on, do us a favor," the brunet remained quiet. "Hey, are you going to answer me or what?"

"Wait, remember, we got him injured so badly that he can't speak right now."

"That's right. We did such a good job on you. Well then, that's even better. We can take his money right now and he won't be able to tell anyone about it." A smirk appeared.

"Oh? What's this I'm hearing?" A voice, unlike Tsuna's classmates, spoke from behind them. There was a dark chuckle made of pure evil and the rage in that tone made the temperature in the whole hallway drop, footsteps echoing loudly. Without even having to twist around to see who it is, Tsuna could already sense that familiar presence and smiled lightly at it. The footsteps stopped behind him and he could feel the comforting warmth of a body pressed against his back with an arm slicking around his shoulder. A click could be heard from his right ear. Reborn was cocking his gun.

Tsuna watched his classmates' expression paled and relaxed into Reborn's grasp, taking comfort in that strong scent. The first person wasn't deterred all that much. "Hey, I remember you! You're that Meraviglian that used wind magic to send us flying! You damn bastard! And how'd you get into this school? Much less to Earth without a contract?"

"I walked in of course. As for how I got here, well, there's only one sure way to find out," Reborn smirked, lowering his gun to take aim, his black orbs dark with rage. He could tell instantly that these were the ones that had caused the trouble and he had no plans of letting them go so easily. "I'm going to pay you back for what you did to Tsuna, three times over."

"Don't look down on us. Macalu, I call thee! Take care of this fool before me!" A gust of wind entered the room, almost blowing off Reborn's fedora if he hadn't reached up to tilt it further down. Tsuna shivered, reaching up to grip the arm that was around him, scared for both himself and Reborn. That and he suddenly remembered that name. A creature appeared from a portal, its claws long and sharp. A squeak echoed from Tsuna's throat. That creature! That was the one that almost destroyed his throat. The bully that had summoned, grinned, peering at the Assurer. "Macalu, this Meraviglian is a wind element like you!"

Reborn peered at the brunet, watching the expression, and growled as things started to connect. He could tell that this was one of the creatures Tsuna had been forced to fight, but which one? Only when the brunet touched his neck weakly did he get his answer. "Ah, so you're the one that choked him." the hitman pulled himself away from the other, pushing the little brunet to the wall behind him. He lifted his fedora off his head and pulled it down onto the fluffy brown hair, covering it for a moment. That large honey-colored eye could only peer back curiously, wondering what the older man was planning. Mouthing words he wanted to say, he desperately wanted to reach out, but couldn't get his free limb to move once he hear that startling screech from the creature called Macalu.

"How do you like this?" the classmate roared. "Doesn't he look great? That puny gun is useless against him! Now die and suffer like Dame-Tsuna!"

Laughing at those words, Reborn grinned and pulled the trigger. Only one shot echoed the hallway and soon after the wind died down immediately. There was a gurgling scream and then another as the classmate took the pain of his pact being ripped apart forcefully. The Macalu yelled in agony as half its body was missing, blown off by that single bullet. Reborn chuckled and stepped closer to the floundering creature.

"You…hurt something that belonged to me. I don't take kindly to that. However, since you were merely following orders, I'll let you go. Leave now before I decide killing you for the best," Reborn changed his aim from the Assurer to the human, watching as the being did a forced retreat, returning back to the other world to recover. The classmate who had summoned it collapsed to the ground in agony, feeling like this body was being ripped apart. "Ah, that's right. Almost forgot. When your ally gets killed or badly injured, you feel the pain of it. Hope you enjoy it. But don't worry, I'm not done with you."

He made a quick gunshot, aiming at the ceiling, and watched as the three classmates flinched in fear. "And what kind of idiots are you? I'm no wind attribute. I'm a being of darkness. Shouldn't you have learned that we, Meraviglians, can use spells of other kinds despite our original element?" He stepped closer, watching as the other two classmates tried to summon their own Assurers to help out, only to watch them get shot down, half dead, the pain rebounding to their bodies. Before long, all three bullies were on the floor in unbearable phantom pain, their Assurers long gone to retreat. "Pathetic. Is this the best you can do? If I see you come after Tsuna again, I'll make sure to kill you next time."

With that, Reborn let his gun vanish into a dark mist, turning around to head over to the little brunet, and wrapped an arm around him. He could see the awe in that single eye and chuckled at it. "Come on, let's head back." Tsuna could only nod in approval, letting himself be dragged away from the scene. He shifted closer to the older man, letting himself be buried into the warmth, welcoming the arm that was around his shoulder, holding him closely. Smiling at that, he couldn't stop the feeling of being safe and relaxed as the sensation took over. He hoped that the other would be near him always either for protection or for just simple companionship.

As they made their way back to the dorm room and inside, Tsuna went towards his usual pencil and pad to write down a message. 'Thanks for saving me. But how'd you know I was in trouble?'

Reborn raised an eyebrow at that, reaching over to take back his hat that was still in Tsuna's head. "I just knew." he cupped Tsuna's chin and wiped off a small smug on his right cheek. The brunet just stared back curiously, blinking his large one eye, and used his free hand to grip Reborn's arm. Shaking his head, the raven pulled back, and patted the top of the head, watching as Tsuna smiled happily in contentment.

'I guess I'd better start on dinner.' Tsuna wrote, holding up his message with one hand and tilted his head slightly to get a good look at Reborn's face. When he got a nod that the other knew and understood, he placed it down and went towards the kitchen, pulling out ingredients to start. The raven helped him here and there due to his disability, but once things started rolling, Tsuna managed to figure everything out with just one arm, it wasn't hard once he got used to it.

Maybe his life wasn't that bad, he had a friend now, one that cared about him. Was his life really that terrible? Tsuna peered back at Reborn, who was lazily flipping through one of his books, and shook his head, a small smile appearing on his lips. No, it wasn't that bad. For once, he was starting to enjoy it.


	11. Chapter 11

Tsuna spent the next few days with Reborn, who helped him out greatly around his dorm room and did the things the brunet could no longer do. Even with that, the human would insist to cook for the older man even with his disabilities, but regardless of Tsuna's wishes, Reborn would remain close by to keep watch just in case, reaching up to get pans or pots that were too high up or were too heavy to hold with one hand.

Other than that, Reborn basically lived in the same place, quickly getting settled to his new living quarters with ease. Some of his belongings had started showing up around the house and part of Tsuna's closet had been taken over as well as the bathroom. But it was fine, Tsuna enjoyed the extra presence in his place.

Though he found it funny that no one ever questioned the raven about why the other was living with him since many people that had spotted him slipping out of his room or when Reborn wandered around the school campus by himself. The security of the school was brought in later, but they could never catch the man before he vanished within the building walls and they hadn't figured out yet that he was staying at Tsuna's, never questioning the students. There were times when the Meraviglian would even leave the school campus to explore the outside world, leaving mostly when Tsuna was in class, but he would always be back once it was over. The only time the two were generally seen together was when the brunet needed to head to the school doctor for checkups on his condition. He was recovering, but not fast enough apparently, which didn't seem to work well with the raven.

There were certain times Reborn would simply vanish, mostly around the night, and Tsuna didn't mind all that much, guessing that the raven needed to head back home to check on the others. Before long, he found himself getting comfortable with Reborn's constant presence in his life at home and when the raven saw his grades in class, offered to tutor him, too. Though the thought of a scary Reborn scolding him scared him at first, he too got used to that as well. And it had really helped, his grades had definitely improved within the span of those few days and his professors had commented on his performance. He was finally getting certain classes he hadn't before and it made him feel a little prouder of himself and those numbers in math, his most dreaded subject, were finally making sense. Maybe he wasn't as stupid as he had originally thought.

Reborn, on the other hand, quickly figured out while tutoring that Tsuna wasn't completely stupid, he was actually quite average, maybe a little bit above in certain subjects. From what he managed to figure out through written messages, Tsuna just had no one to talk to whenever he needed help or questions about something, leaving him to either guess the answer or fail. It wasn't exactly fair, but Reborn didn't mind it since it gave him the opportunity to learn more about the other. Regardless, he enjoyed tutoring Tsuna, liking the extra time they spent together. There were times when Tsuna'd really worked hard on something that the raven couldn't help but pat the brunet affectionately on the head as if saying 'good work'. And the smile he got in return just made Reborn want to do it again, or at least more often.

Despite everything that was going on with their own lives, they quickly settled into a routine. But there was one thing Reborn didn't like about it, it was the doctor visits. They were inconvenient and were partially useless, but Tsuna had to go to make sure nothing was getting infected and that he was taking the antibiotics at the proper times. The doctor, at first, didn't like the raven, asking him to leave and Reborn was tempted to argue back before Tsuna stepped in, writing a quick message that he was here to help take care of him and that the Meraviglian needed to know everything about the situation. The first visit was fine, it sated Reborn's curiosity on Tsuna's condition, but then the second, third, fourth time were all completely useless. The doctor kept repeating the same things, Tsuna would take a month to heal, the arm longer, so there was no choice but to wait and see how things went. Reborn was really beginning to dislike the slow healing process that belonged to humans.

So the raven decided to take matters into his own hands. "Tsuna, we're heading back to the others today."

The brunet snapped his head up in question, blinking his large one eye, and stopped what he had been doing. A textbook was laid out on the table, the pages opened to something the professor had been talking about today. He tilted his head as if saying 'what?' and waited for the raven to respond. Reborn simply strode closer and settled onto the chair on the other side. "It's going to be the weekend for you tomorrow, so there's no classes for two days, therefore, it would be best to see them. They were quite concern about you and it would be best for you to show up to at least put them at ease."

Reborn leaned back, flicking his fedora up. "I can say a lot of things, but seeing the actual physical proof is what they need. Also, since Fong knows wind spells, he has a couple of healing abilities included in it, same with Colonello who knows water. I don't like you humans' slow healing process and I doubt you'd like to stay like this for such a long time."

Tsuna blinked again before nodding his head, agreeing to the argument. He desired to be able to move his right arm again and see with his other eye and even speak back to Reborn. He wanted to. It was depressing that all he could do was remain quiet. His free hand reached out to write on top of his notes and turned it around for Reborn to read. 'When do we leave?'

"Now if possible. You can spend the night at our place, it's late today already, almost five o'clock. You're already finished with all your homework except going over today's lecture, yes?" he got a nod in response. "Then pack some clothes and anything you need. You can go over the lecture on Sunday, you'll be coming back on Saturday night."

Tsuna smiled happily, standing up to rush over to his room, gathering the things he would need for tonight. As he did that, Reborn chuckled to himself, stretching himself back. He was starting to get used to being around Tsuna and he completely didn't mind it at all. Of course, he would need to be a little careful on how he flew in his monster form, lest he accidentally throw Tsuna off. Ah, that would be bad.

* * *

Breaking through the barrier with Tsuna riding on top of him wasn't difficult, it was actually quite the same, no difference. He had been worried that it might affect the human in some way, passing through that barrier, but it didn't and they landed right outside the house with ease. Reborn carefully watched as the brunet slid off his back before transforming back into his humanoid form, momentarily straightening himself out to look presentable. Holding onto the small bag Tsuna had stuffed all of his things in, Reborn went forward first while digging out his keys to open the door.

Stepping inside, Tsuna blinked his eyes curiously as he peered around the place, listening for any sounds, but got nothing. The place was silent for once and no one was around to greet them, that was, until he spotted something a little odd. His eye zoomed in on the creature curled up on the floor right below a window where the fading sunlight was slipping in, its light glittering on the golden fur. He reached over to tug Reborn's suit before pointing off towards the direction where he had seen the curled up beast.

"Ah, him. Go, say hello." Reborn nudged Tsuna forward before going into the kitchen, leaving the scared yet inquiring brunet and the animal alone. The human blinked curiously and stepped forward, taking a better look at the creature. The beast looked like a giant fox but instead of one tail, had nine that curled around the body, some being used as a cushion for the head. There were two element colors on the fox, green for wind and red for fire, and with those colors were symbols that were on the top of the head and legs. The fur was a clear golden color and it seemed to give off a wonderful hue in the sunlight. In its essence, the fox looked beautiful and so very graceful in appearance. Tsuna smiled to himself, wondering at the way the fox was curled up, perhaps Meraviglians had the tendency to act like their monster counterparts?

Still, he wanted nothing more than to reach out and pet that fur, but he wasn't sure on how the beast would react to an unknown feeling. So he waited, unable to say anything, and luckily for him, he didn't have to wait long. The fox soon began to stir from its peaceful slumber, sharp black eyes fluttering open, with those long tails shifting around. A small sound came from the beast, something that was akin to a yawn, and stretched its paws out. Then those eyes peered up at the new presence, blinking curiously, and those ears picking up, twitching slightly.

"Tsuna?"

The brunet blinked, he recognized that voice. Fong? Regardless, Tsuna nodded his head to confirm.

"Oh dear…" the fox immediately sat up, revealing the streak of white that was underneath where the belly was at, peering over the brunet curiously, taking in the human's appearance. Those eyes momentarily stopped at the wounds before moving onto the next one. Those ears fell down at the sight. "Reborn was not lying when he described your appearance. Are you okay? How do you feel?"

Tsuna nodded again and gave off a smile. He pointed towards the kitchen, where Reborn was at, cluttering through something.

"I see, Reborn brought you here. I have a feeling as to why," Fong flicked his tails, sitting up proudly, but noticed that hesitant expression on the brunet's face. He could tell that it wasn't related to the raven, but to himself. He blinked and looked down at himself, wondering what Tsuna was looking at until he realized his form. "Oh, you've caught me in my other form. Remember, I said I was a fox last time though I didn't expect you to find out what I looked like so soon. I'm afraid the warmth of the sun was just too hard to get away from."

Tsuna silently laughed at that, scooting closer and slowly raised his hand up in question, waiting for a response. He wanted to feel that fur, wondering just how soft it is, but he wasn't sure if the other would be okay with him petting. Fong, understanding the silent question, simply leaned forward, ducking his head underneath the hand, his tails twitching at the foreign touch. He never allowed anyone to caress him before except one person long ago, but…he could make an exception this time. The brunet smiled and with more confidence, scratched his fingers along the fur, enjoying the sensation of the fluffiness he was met with. It was like silk, nice and smooth, even with that little bounce it had. Slowly, his hands moved downward from the head to the side, rubbing gently and carefully. Fong shivered at that, arching himself lightly at the feeling, and his ears twitched again. It was nice. Shifting a little closer, he purposefully rubbed his side against the brunet happily, nudging him to do more.

"Well, what do you know?" Reborn chuckled as he stepped back into the room, looking over the two on the floor. "Is Tsuna awakening your animal side? Because if I remember correctly, all animals love it when their fur is stroked."

"Reborn…" Fong huffed, still blissful at those fingers that continued to fondle his fur. "Shut up."

Tsuna didn't stop, finding this side of the fox amusing, and looked at Reborn with a smile.

"Well, all greetings aside, I need you to do something, Fong," Reborn kneeled down at Tsuna's side, looking into those dark eyes as he tried to convey a message that only Fong needed to hear. However, it didn't seem to be working since the fox could only whine loudly when that hand reached his ears. The fox was no longer paying attention to anything but that merciless hand that was caressing his now obvious weak spot. The raven raised an eyebrow at that, almost breaking out into laughter for a moment, watching as Fong turned into a puddle of goo at the human's touches. As much as he wanted to keep this going, there were things they needed to do. Reaching over, he pulled Tsuna's hand away from the beast. "You can do this later, right now, Fong needs to heal you up. Fong, transform already."

"A-Ah, yes, of course." Soon after, the fox shifted his body back into his humanoid face with a little red smoke appearing around him, face a little rosy either out of embarrassment or from something else. Tsuna had a pout on his face, a little depressed that his fun was gone, but knew that Reborn had a point. Fong ran a hand through his bangs and took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down from his obvious collapse on composure.

"That was quite the reaction there, Fong." Reborn smirked amusingly, almost wanting to laugh out loud again, but didn't to save face.

"Ah, yes…" Fong closed his eyes for a moment, trying to take deep breaths again. "Honestly, that's the first time anyone has ever touched my ears. I mean, not even _she_ did all those years ago."

'She?' Tsuna thought to himself. He remembered this person being mentioned once the last time he had come here.

"Oh? Now that's funny. Well, you can let Tsuna continue petting you later. I need you to do something. Could you use a healing spell on Tsuna? See if you can lessen the damage on him."

Fong peered back at the brunet and nodded his head. "Sure, no problem. I can't heal everything, not due to the vast amount of injuries all over his body. But I can at least lessen the pain and allow the body to quicken its process."

"That's good enough."

The fox raised a hand up, sitting on his legs that were folded underneath him. He muttered some words, eyes closed, before shifting that hand outward. A small gentle gust blew around them, concentrating mostly on Tsuna, and it ruffled his bangs softly. He suddenly felt as if he was at peace and there were green lines swirling around his face. "Healing wind…" A light green glow appeared around the brunet over his skin and faded as the wind did soon after. Everything seemed to still once more. Tsuna looked down at himself and tried to flex his fingers, finding the movement much easier than before. "There, that should do for now. Tsuna, do you feel better?"

The brunet nodded his head and touched his sides where there had been some bruises. They weren't hurting as bad as before. Reborn lifted up the shirt, still hiding the wince as he looked over the discolorations, Fong's eyes widening at the damage that had been done previously. The color of the bruises was no longer blue or purple nor green (a new color that had started appearing over the days) and were instead yellow, some even brown. The spell had worked.

"This is terrible…" Fong muttered, just imagining how bad Tsuna must have looked before a few days ago. "Once Colonello comes back from the town, get him to use a spell. I would use more of my own, but your human body functions differently than ours. I do not want to overload your body and instead have you rejecting my spells." Tsuna nodded his head in compliance, still moving his body to check what was better and what still hurt. "For now, let's keep his bandages on until a human doctor can look at them when he gets back to Earth. None of us are doctors, not as if we need one, so we wouldn't really know what we're looking at."

"I agree," Reborn nodded his head, reaching over to pat Tsuna's head. He could feel the bumps underneath his hands much smaller than before. "Who's here right now?"

"Only Verde, but you know him. I, myself, had only come back from a mission an hour before you did. Lal is with Colonello, if I remember correctly. Skull and Viper are in their usual hangouts," Fong seemed to have calmed himself down long enough to look normal once more. His flustered appearance was still funny and unusual on the generally calm and collected man. His onyx eyes turned to the brunet with a smile. "Would you like some tea? Perhaps green tea? I also have oolong and jasmine."

Tsuna nodded his head, smiling happily, and gave a waving motion. It was meant to allow Fong to choose whatever he thought was best. This made the fox return the smile. "I'm actually quite happy there's someone else here to drink tea with. No one else likes to."

"It's the leaves," Reborn huffed. "It's okay now and then, but coffee will always be the best. I enjoy that bitter taste."

"Tea can be bitter as well."

Tsuna almost wanted to laugh, but held back for his voice, standing up to push the Chinese-looking man along. Taking the hint, Fong went towards the kitchen, leaving Reborn and Tsuna on their own. The raven reached over to pat the brunet carefully. "Hey, there's a spare bedroom you can stay in. I've already placed your stuff in there while you were playing with Fong. You'll know it's yours when you see it. It's the only one without a name tag on it." the brunet nodded in compliance, curious at how his temporary room would look like, but pushed it out of his mind. He didn't get to think long since Fong came in with a small pot of hot water, the tea bags inside.

"It seems like I had forgotten I already had some water boiling before I fell asleep on the floor. Good thing I had remembered to turn the heat to low just in case. Hope you don't mind, I choose oolong. It's actually my favorite," Fong placed the pot onto the table with two cups, he had been hesitant on getting a third, but he knew better. Reborn wouldn't drink it anyway and it would simply be a waste. He poured into the cups, the rich green liquid swishing around before settling. Tsuna leaned over to reach, carefully holding it less he dropped or spilled it. Sipping quietly, he smiled to himself, enjoying the warm taste. It reminded him of peaceful times long ago, something he wasn't very familiar with anymore. Reborn disappeared for a moment to get himself a cup of coffee, leaving the two on their own once more. Fong smiled, catching the brunet's attention once more. "So, there are many things I would like to ask you but I guess that's not going to happen for the time being. Such a shame."

Tsuna smiled, shrugging his shoulders before patting the spot beside him after placing down his empty cup. Fong tilted his head at that, pouring himself another cup, before settling beside the other. "Yes?"

The brunet wiggled his nose, he didn't know how to convey his message. He wanted Fong to transform again, he had always loved animals that had that fluffy soft fur. It was a little weakness he had, but he never minded and he just hoped Fong would comply with his wishes. He tried to make hand motions at first, but the fox didn't understand anything.

"I'm sorry, I really don't get it. Perhaps I should get some paper for you to write on?"

Then Tsuna got an idea. Reaching out, he placed his hand on top of Fong's head, hoping that would do it. And it was then that the other did. Those eyes widened for a second before narrowing his eyebrows in confusion. "You want me…to transform? Well, I have no issue with that. I take it that you're enjoying this."

The brunet simply nodded his head eagerly and watched as a red smoke appeared around Fong's body once, letting him transform into his beast form. He looked slightly unsettled on the couch due to the sinking of the cushions but managed to keep himself upright. Immediately, Tsuna attacked the fur, rubbing it down eagerly, looking quite ecstatic at the situation. Fong's tails twitched and eventually, leaned down to allow more access, before finally collapsing onto Tsuna's lap, completely content with his situation. He was enjoying this entirely, loving how those fingers went through his fur. Now if only he could get Tsuna back to his ears…

" _What the hell, kora?"_

The two on the couch snapped their heads up at the voice, Fong barely since he was far too comfortable on Tsuna's lap to actually move. Two people were standing at the door, eyes glued to the scene in wonder, hoping and questioning if perhaps they had entered the wrong house.

"Fong, what are you doing?" the only female of the group questioned, stepping forward to get a better look. Her arms were folded against her chest, but the questioning look in her eyes was far too obvious. She barely paid any attention to the tiny brunet Fong was apparently lying on.

"Apparently, Fong is currently enjoying his rub down happily," Reborn answered to Lal as he stepped in from the kitchen, holding a cup of coffee. He smirked at the shocked expressions and the content one on Fong, sipping his coffee slowly. "I doubt Fong can say anything at this moment, he's apparently too high to care."

Fong's ears twitched at that and there was a little bit of a glare. "I am not, Reborn. Please do not say such-"

Reborn smirked, interrupting Fong's words. "Tsuna, get the ears."

And the brunet did as he was told, attacking the ears repetitively. All Fong could do was whine and collapse back down happily in defeat, his long tails spread out over the couch, falling over the sides.

"I think Fong has been whipped," Lal muttered in disbelief as she watched the fox easily be controlled with such ease. She chuckled at that, stepping closer to watch, before looking up at Tsuna. It was only then that she was able to get a good look at the situation and made the connections. "I take it that you're Tsuna, I'm Lal, and I believe you already know the idiot behind me." She watched as Tsuna nodded his head in greeting, watching his movements carefully. "Hmm, now that I've seen you, I now understand what Reborn meant when he told us what happened to you. Are you still unable to talk?"

Tsuna nodded his head once more, keeping his hand on the ears, still rubbing them gently, but that was all he needed to do to keep Fong under control. Colonello went beside the woman, unable to hide his smirk at the scene before him despite the brunet's appearance. This was just too funny.

"Reborn, you really know how to pick them, kora," the blonde settled onto the table right in front the two, watching the scene with absolute interest. "I take it that you want me to use a healing spell, right?"

The raven answered, "Ah, yes, if you will. Fong has already done so earlier today."

"Sure, sure," the blonde huffed, waving his arm lightly before turning back to the brunet, who had by now, pausing in his movement on Fong. His single honey-colored eye peered up curiously in question. "You might already know, but I'm a water element, got it?"

Tsuna simply moved his head at that and watched as Colonello began to mumble words under his breath, different than the ones Fong had spoken earlier. The air seemed to cool and the atmosphere had that humid feeling mixed in, overpowering what had been there before. Despite that, he didn't seem to flinch or move and neither did the rest of the group, Fong momentarily lifting his head up to watch. Soon after Tsuna felt something wet hit the tip of his nose and flinched, peering up curiously at where that little drop had come from. Nothing, there was nothing, just the ceiling, and yet he felt something again hit his cheek. It was cold but had an odd soothing feeling to it. Reaching up, he touched the spot, looking down at the liquid on his fingers. "Blessed Rain." Soon, more droplets fell but they seemed to vanish soon after hitting, never leaving a mark on the couch or his clothes. Only his skin was affected and for a moment, he glowed with a blue hue before vanishing.

As the spell took effect and disappeared, Tsuna blinked curiously watching as Colonello's bright blue eyes reopened and grinned. "How's that? Feel better, kora?"

Tilting his head at that, he peered down at himself and nodded his head. He did feel better, much better than before. The pains in his body were almost gone, just giving that phantom output. He pulled up his shirt to look at his bruises and grinned happily. Half of them were already gone while the rest were a mere brown. Weeks' worth of healing had been cut down by two healing spells. 'I wonder about my throat, eye, and arm though. Would those have healed yet? Well, maybe not the arm since it was supposed to be five months.'

"Good job, Colonello," Lal snorted from the side, her arms still folded. "At least you didn't mess up on something as simple as a healing spell. If you had, it would be back to training with you."

"Oh, come on! Give me a break, kora!"

Tsuna laughed at that, smiling at the arguing two, before going back to petting Fong's lovely fur. He ran his fingers through the soft brushes and looked up at Reborn before peering down at his other side, hoping the other would take the hint. Understanding the motive, the raven wandered around the fighting two and flopped down on the other side of the couch with his cup of coffee still in hand, watching as Fong took advantage of his position by putting his snout on the raven's leg. Reborn didn't mind, he was still enjoying the sight of a fallen Fong and now he had a front view seating of it. Sipping his coffee again, he smirked. Things were really beginning to get interesting.


	12. Chapter 12

Tsuna's eyes widened in fear as sharp claws came down on him, feeling his body tense up in terror. Those talons seemed to glitter dangerously in the evening sun, the red glow bouncing off ominously regardless of the blood that was already on them. His eyes were glued to them, unable to look anywhere else. It was like that was all he could see, all he could concentrate on. If he were to turn away for a moment, he wouldn't be able to dodge or attempt to and those claws might sink deep into his body and end his pathetic life. It was a terrifying thought and so he continued to watch as those claws came around him, rolling around, and screaming when it met skin. His clothes were completely torn to pieces, just barely hanging on at the threads.

In the background, he could hear this terrible laughter that seemed to ring in his ears, over and over again. And then there was more slashing, blood scattering the floor like rain and Tsuna could feel it dripping down his body, oozing out of his wounds. He could no longer remember what the original color of his clothes was, drenched by his own blood, and his body shook from the loss, his head spinning.

"Kill him! Kill him!" The voice laughed and the Assurer strike again and again in accordance, tearing more of Tsuna's skin apart, and gave a heavy kick to the brunet's stomach, sending him flying across the field. Tsuna rolled across the ground, wincing and coughing as he tried to get his bearings on the situation before dodging another attack.

For a moment, his good eye peered down at his hands, his skin dyed in red, watching as the liquid dripped off his broken flesh. Dirt covered his body, sticking to him like glue, and as much as he wanted to wipe it off, he knew it wouldn't help at all. It would simply bring more pain due to the nature of his wounds.

His right arm was twisted terribly from the time he had been grabbed, spun around, and thrown to the side. He had crashed into a wall, sliding down, before collapsing onto the floor in agony before getting up to move once more. The pain was horrendous, but he couldn't scream, his throat sore from all the screaming he had already done for the day.

His other eye was hurt, his vision ruby red, and he closed that eye in hopes of stopping the terror before him. There was more laughter, more of those sharp claws coming down at him, and more pain. He screamed again and again until there was no more sound escaping his lips. And eventually, he broke down crying pitifully, begging the Capturer to stop except no sound came out. There were no tears coming down his eyes or it was not seeable due to the blood and it just stung excruciatingly each time he blinked.

The audience that was watching them was silent and even the staff were wide eyed. They had never seen such terrible acts in their life, such slaughter and torment. Tsuna wanted to crawl away, wanted to run, but where to? The brunet paused at that, where could he run to? Home? He was unwelcomed. To his dorm room? He could only hide there for so long before being forced out. He cried some more, feeling his body being kicked around, more blood oozing out of him until he was lying in a pool of his own.

There was more laughter and if he listened carefully, there were cheers in that crowd, applauding the Capturer on his deeds. It was then that the audience began to move, the staff running out to help him at long last. But they were too late, the Capturer, the bully, had already made his final order.

"Choke him! I want to see the light disappear from his eyes!"

Tsuna shot up from his bed gasping, his single eye wide in fear. A cold sweat ran down his body, shivering at nothing but the memory that continued to repeat within his head. His breaths were ragged and his heart pounded painfully in his chest, able to feel each throb as if his organ was trying to get out of the cavity. His head hurt, everything hurt. That nightmare…Tsuna shook his head. He didn't want to remember. He didn't want to relive that moment once more.

Closing his eye to block out everything, he tried to lie back down, but found himself unable to, unable to even move. He didn't want to go to sleep, not now, not after reliving his attack. Tsuna wanted to cry, but his eye was too dry and too open to do anything. He looked around him only to tightly squeeze his body together in hopes of calming himself. But nothing seemed to help. The world around him just made things worse. The darkness of the room that wasn't familiar to him unsettled his nerves and the moonlight coming from the window seemed to play tricks on his fragile mind. The branches on the trees from outside his bedroom looked like they were creating shadows of smiling faces, mocking him, taunting him.

He wanted to curl up and disappear under the covers. It was too scary, the world was too scary.

"Tsuna?"

The brunet almost screamed at that, shooting around to see a figure at the door. In his terror filled state, he backed up, almost about to fall off his bed when the person moved, reaching out towards him and held on tightly just before he toppled off the side. The human squirmed in the grip, desperately wanting to be let go, until he was engulfed into a tender hug.

It took him a moment to realize who the person was, that acquainted darkness and that strong cologne seemed to bring him out of his frantic state. He knew this person, there was only one person that had this unique scent. Tsuna kept repeating to himself those words, slowly calming down and relaxing into the grasp. His eye peered up curiously in question, blinking as a single tear welled up in his eyelid, just falling when he closed it. There were some 'shh' sounds coming from Reborn and then an arm rubbing his back gently while the other held him still, pressing him closer against him.

"It's alright. It was just a nightmare." That deep voice further calmed the brunet down, nudging closer for that undeniable warmth and safety Reborn always seemed to offer. The brunet had his face buried into that loose dress shirt, his tears falling down his cheeks, and rubbed closer, aware that he was dampening the shirt. He didn't care at that much, he just wanted to be close to someone, and since Reborn hadn't pushed him away yet, the raven didn't mind all that much either.

There was some shuffling from beside them and Tsuna peered up uneasily to see Fong settling onto the bed as well, his face twisted in concern. "Just close your eye and try to relax. I want you to take a deep breath and hold," Tsuna took a breath as told, trying to fill his lungs as much as possible, and held it, waiting for Fong to tell him what to do next. The fox smiled at that, glad that the brunet was complying, reaching over to pet those caramel-colored locks. "Now release." As the brunet did that, he could feel some of the tension in his body slowly slipping away, and he eased further against Reborn's body, using his free arm to return the hug. "Now again."

After the third deep breath, Tsuna had finally calmed down enough to even his breathing, the pains finally gone from his body, snuggling up against Reborn happily with a smile now on his lips. He was completely at peace, the effect of his nightmare now disappearing back into the recesses of his mind, hidden away.

"Looks like he's finally calmed down." Reborn muttered, his breath tickling Tsuna's ear, never once loosening his grip nor stopping the back rub.

"Yes, he has. You do think it was from when he was attacked?" Fong whispered, touching Tsuna's shoulders gently, his eyes never wavering in that concern appearance. They both knew that the brunet was still awake, barely, but just wasn't responding.

"Yeah. Luckily, Skull decided to slam the front door earlier and woke me up or I might not have noticed Tsuna was awake," Reborn let his hand reach up, gripping into the caramel-color locks, and gently wiggled his nose when that same hair ran against it, tickling him. "Lal and Colonello didn't wake up, but that might be expected since they're on the other side of the house. Hmm?" He felt the body against him go still and finally the breaths evened out, Tsuna completely limp in his grasp. "He fell asleep." As he tried to pull Tsuna away from him, he grunted, finding that the arm around him was hanging on securely as if latched on desperately. Those fingers were gripping onto his shirt and as Reborn tried to move away again, his clothes seemed to keep him strapped down.

Fong quietly laughed at the new situation, trying to cover it up with his hand since he'd rather not face Reborn's anger later once this was all settled. He was wearing only a loose blue shirt and baggy white pants with his hair undone from its braid, the long strands hanging loosely all over his body. Some fell over his shoulders and pooled around his body on the bed and he pushed some back to get them out of his way. "I take it he has no plans of letting you go, old friend."

"Just what I needed." Reborn huffed and managed to pry a little distance between himself and Tsuna, but it wasn't working much. Last resort, he would simply use his powers to slip through the grasp, but it sounded completely stupid and a waste of energy. There was absolutely no need to use his powers on something minor like this. Grumbling loudly, he pushed Tsuna's body further on the bed before collapsing down himself, deciding that he might as well sleep here for the night.

His head rested against the pillow, taking in Tsuna's soft strawberry-like scent that seemed to radiate from the skin like some sort of aura. The grip on him had loosened up, allowing him more room, and shifted a little to get more comfortable. It was like Tsuna had unconsciously known Reborn had given in to his unspoken request. Peering up at the smiling fox, Reborn sneered, taking his free hand to summon his shadows, wrapping around Fong to yank him down. The Chinese-looking man's eyes widened in surprise and then narrowed soon after as he tried to break free, only to be shoved over onto the bed, lying on the other side of Tsuna.

"What?" Fong blinked curiously, his long hair falling all over his frame and some even managed to get on Tsuna. He tried to struggle to get up only to get a glare from the raven, letting those shadows remain on him.

"If I'm going to be stuck here, you're staying." Reborn glared, daring the other to move away. He wasn't going to be sleeping next to Tsuna on his own, especially if they could get caught together by the others in the house in the morning. It was easier to write the situation off with more people than it would be with just him and Tsuna together in bed.

Fong looked like he wanted to fight back, but when he heard the brunet make a small whimper like he was crying, squirming slightly in Reborn's hold, he sighed in defeat. Curling up against the human, he buried his face into the same pillow and sighed, somewhat feeling at peace despite his situation. It wasn't that bad.

He listened as the raven beside him stilled and slumbered off, keeping his grip lax, and had retreated the shadows from around the fox's body. Fong chuckled silently at the situation before he too fell into dreamland, unaware that he had accidentally wrapped his arms around Tsuna to pull the brunet closer for warmth.

* * *

Reborn twitched, his mind starting to waken from the darkness of slumber. It was warm, too warm, and slowly he opened his eyes to see what was going on, wondering why he suddenly felt so heavy. Stretching or at least tried to, he peered out only to stare into spiky brown hair and wiggled his nose when some of the strands tickled him, making him want to sneeze. He looked down, noticing that Tsuna was curled up against him, his back pressing against his chest, and his own arms were curled around like he had been holding onto Tsuna like a teddy bear.

Reborn huffed, wiggling his nose at doing something so silly, and pulled back slightly to get a better look at the situation. The blankets, if he even remembered tossing them on in the first place, were on the floor, leaving the three bodies on the bed bare. Yet, it didn't matter, the body heat that they generated between each other was enough to keep them warm.

Lifting himself up, he looked over at Fong with a raised eyebrow, somewhat surprised at the situation. Sometime during the night, Tsuna had apparently latched onto the fox's waist, holding on desperately tight, while the other had done the same. Their faces were mere inches part, both too wrapped up in their own worlds to care, and both had donned on expressions of simple peacefulness. Smirking to himself, Reborn watched in amusement, wondering who would wake up first, though he was more interested in his old friend's reaction than Tsuna's.

"Fong."

The fox's eyebrows twitched at Reborn's voice, shifting from sleeping to waking up almost instantly. His fingers gripped onto Tsuna's body by accident and slowly his eyes began to flutter open only to give a complete look of confusion. The raven watched amusingly, knowing he had been wearing that same look just moments before. He watched as Fong began to put things together and try to pull away, only to make Tsuna unconsciously grumble in frustration, tightening his hold on the fox.

"Stuck?" Reborn smirked, noticing the way those dark eyes turned to him to glare before going back to the brunet.

"Apparently so," Fong lifted up a hand to brush those brown locks back to get a better look at the face. "Tsuna is sleeping peacefully, it's like last night didn't happen. That's a good sign compared to before."

"Agreed."

As they spoke and just as Reborn was about to get up, Tsuna shifted again, pulling away slightly from the fox, beginning to wake up. His eyes fluttered a little and nudged back closer to Fong, rubbing his face into his chest, wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep. A light tint of red flooded Fong's cheeks, almost squeaking at the way Tsuna seem to want to cuddle closer to him, but didn't want to move just in case he toppled over the side of the bed.

Reborn chuckled at the sight and leaned over to give a small nudge, using force to wake up the brunet. At first, the human seemed to grumble under his breath before falling back asleep, refusing to do anything but hang onto Fong like a pillow.

"Tsuna, wake up, it's already morning." The fox tried to wiggle his way out, but failed to do so and instead shake the brunet that was literally attached to him. Those eyes fluttered open this time and Tsuna peered at him curiously, obviously still a haze. Fong decided to try and flick the forehead lightly and the touch seemed to startle the brunet.

The human blinked numerous times in confusion and followed his good arm that was attached to the older man. "Hiiiiee!" Almost immediately, the brunet pulled back, slamming himself into Reborn's waiting body, whose arms wrapped around his waist to hold him tight. Fong started laughing at the expression, chuckling as he sat up, enjoying Tsuna's reaction, however, that was short lived once the brunet started to cough viciously.

The fox was the first to respond, grasping around the neck to massage the area, and muttered a quick healing spell, the words 'healing wind' being whispered. As the atmosphere began to cool from the breeze, instead of Tsuna's entire body glowing, only the area where Fong was touching did. Almost at once, the wheezing died down, leaving the brunet coughing lightly compared to before until it vanished. The human took deep breaths before collapsing against the raven, face tinted red from his attack, and slowly reached up to touch Fong's warm hands around his throat, closing his eyes. Reborn made a clicking sound from the back of his throat, knowing they had agitated the spot by accident.

"Are you alright?" Fong asked, voice laced with worry, as he stared at Tsuna's pale complexion. When he got a nod and a small smile, only then did the tension in his body dissipate. "I apologize, I did not mean to startle you like that. If I had known this would-"

Tsuna shook his head, cutting off the fox, and gave another smile as if saying that everything was alright.

However, Fong did not look convinced. Reborn looked at the silent exchange between the two and sighed. "Fong, he's saying it's not your fault. You could not have known this would occur," With Tsuna nodding in agreement, Fong soon relaxed and gave a small smile. As Reborn watched the scene, he smirked dangerously, getting a curious look from his friend, as he peered down, moving his face along Tsuna's shoulder. "But you know, that was the most girlish scream I've ever heard. Didn't know a male's voice could go that high."

Reborn's dark voice whispered into Tsuna's ear, making the youngest of the three blush dark red, peering up shyly into those eyes. He soon pouted right afterwards, looking insulted at the comment, and turned away to gaze down at the bed sheets in embarrassment. It was like that dark atmosphere surrounding them disappeared as the two got into a silent argument, Fong soon joining in, it was like the incident had never occurred.

* * *

"So who is this?"

Tsuna couldn't help but flinch at the uncaring tone, harsh in nature, and immediately gripped onto Fong's sleeve since Reborn had already entered the kitchen first. His honey-colored eyes peered over the table, looking at the six people that were settled there, most familiar with him except for two new faces.

Drifting over the first person, he blinked his eye at being unable to see the face, a dark blue robe covering most of the body. Tsuna was able to spot the pale white skin coming through, probably from the lack of sunlight, and blue hair marred around the face with two upside-down triangles of the same color. Thin hands were reaching out from underneath, grasping and counting something that looked similar to money, but the person never bothered to look up. Other than that, he couldn't really see anything else.

The second person, the one that had made the comment, looked older than the rest of the group with glasses over his green eyes. Similar color was for the hair that was jaded at the edges and was gruff in appearance where the man hadn't completely shaved. A white lab coat covered his body with a green button-up shit and white pants. As Tsuna continued to stare, the man waited for a response that would never come, pushing up his glasses to get a better examination over the human.

Fong smiled lightly and gently nudged Tsuna forward. "This is Tsuna."

The brunet bowed lightly, nodding his head as a greeting before turning to the others to do the same. Colonello gave a grin and waved a hand while Lal nodded in return, both settled on the opposite sides of each other on the table.

Verde didn't seem to deter from his position, papers scattered around his side of the table. "He's a human, how uninteresting." With that, the conversation was over, heading back to his documents as if they were the most interesting thing in the world, refusing to go further into the conversation.

Tsuna tilted his head and peered up at Fong in question, but the fox could only shrug his shoulders, saying that this was completely normal. "Don't worry about it. I think it's better that you didn't catch Verde's interest."

"Tsuna," Reborn commented from the side, leaning against the counter with his arms folded. "Cook, will you? Oh and make me an espresso."

The brunet simply nodded his head, stepping away from Fong to head towards the pots and pans, looking through the options he had and then at the refrigerator, before nodding his head as if deciding on something. Using his limit mobility, he started pulling out multiple pans, placing four on the stove immediately, and quickly poured oil evenly on each one. Soon after, he pulled out a large carton of eggs, cracking them into a large bowl, estimating the amount he would need for eight people, seven he knew would be asking for extras.

Rumbling through the refrigerator for other ingredients to add in, he pulled a couple more things out, chopping this and that, and tossed it inside to mix. Soon after, he turned on the fire for each and every pan, using a large spoon he found to pour the egg mixture into it due to the fact that he couldn't lift up the bowl. As those were cooking, he started on Reborn's espresso, luckily finding a coffee machine that he could work with. Tsuna noted in the back of his mind that he would need to buy a better machine for Reborn to keep around the place for himself. As the machine began to work its magic, the brunet went back to the pans, fixing them up to look like omelets, adding other ingredients inside to wrap around.

"So the human is going to cook for us?" Verde grumbled from the side, never once looking up from his papers, staring at them with an odd glint in his eyes. Tsuna tilted his head at that before nodding, turning back around to finish off the first two omelets, and lifted them up into a large plate. He could hear some scribbling from the pencil behind him, knowing it was probably moving rapidly down the page.

"It had better be good or I'll charge you for making me eat it." Viper was next, grumbling from the other side of the table within his cloak, arms folded, and was settled in his chair as if not wanting to be here.

Lal sneered at the two, glaring from where she's at. "At least it'll more likely be better than your cooking."

"That's right, I always have to suffer whenever you guys cook! You're the worst among the seven of us!" This time it was Skull, slamming his hands down, and stood up to point. Tsuna jumped at the sound, almost dropping a finished omelet, and silently sighed in relief that nothing bad happened. Soon after, he poured more of the mixture in to keep making the omelets.

"Oh? So the idiot wants to fight back?" The green-haired man smirked dangerously, pushing his glasses up. "Perhaps he would like to become my next tester for my experiments?"

At those those words, Skull made a loud 'eep!' and settled back into his seat, wanting to hide from those terrifying eyes. More arguments broke out among the group and soon Colonello and Reborn had joined in, the table now in complete chaos. Tsuna could only stare in question before looking at the only sane person among the group. Fong sighed at the expression he received and shrugged his shoulders, knowing that there was no way he was going to be able to stop them from actually fighting. This was just something that was common among the group.

Once two extra omelets in the pans were finishing off and the rest was still cooking, the brunet turned around to grab Reborn's espresso, pouring a cup, and placed in front of the raven. Immediately, the other took it, giving a nod in thanks, and sipped on the drink fondly, exiting the argument that continued on and reached to the side to push a pen and paper for Tsuna to use. The brunet blinked at it before quickly writing down a quick message and pushed it towards the fox instead of Reborn since Colonello had decided it would be a good time to try and punch the other.

Fong blinked at the message and lifted it up, pushing his seat outward so that he would be out of direct fire of the other occupants. "Hmm? Who cooks normally? Ah, well, there was a person here before you came that used to do that for us. Her name was Luce, but she passed away due to old age. She was a human like yourself. Other than that, we all try to take turns…except some of us aren't exactly that good at cooking."

Lal snorted at that, turning from her spot in the seat to glare across the table. "Most of us are terrible, some worse than others. The only person that can cook decently enough so that everyone can eat it without choking is Skull. Reborn can cook if he wants to, which is never and you, Fong, can make some really good stuff except that most of the time we're dying from the spiciness. I mean, how much chilies do you put in there? I feel like my mouth is melting at times!"

The fox's shoulders slumped at that. "Sorry, I can't help it, it's the way I cook."

Tsuna smiled at that, flipping the omelets to cook the other side, before going back to write another message. Fong read it, blinking his eyes, before smiling. "You want to try my cooking?" A nod came from the brunet and he wrote some more on the paper and watched as the older man began to smile. "Ah, thank you."

After that, the brunet went back to the stove, placing the newly finished omelets into the same plate with the others while making a couple more. If these people haven't eaten any good food for a while then Tsuna knew that they would definitely want extra. Reborn would always ask for seconds or thirds at times back at his dorm room.

Colonello blinked before leaning over to see what Tsuna had written, snatching the paper away. Lal was curious as well, eyes drifting over the message. "Let's see what the little kid wrote. In my culture, spicy food isn't always a norm. We have something called wasabi and shichimi, which are seven spices mixed together, but since I tend to go into different cultures for cooking, I know that the Chinese, Thai, and Indian foods are in terms of top spiciness. I can cook some foods from those cultures and see if it's up to par for your tastes, kora."

"I don't understand some of that stuff." Skull muttered from right across, trying to identify words like wasabi and Indian to their own world, but couldn't.

"If I understand correctly, Earthlings have over a hundred different cultures and with that will most likely have different foods and varieties in settings. Mixing between them also creates more," Verde cut in, pushing up his glasses by habit. He had gotten interested in this flow of conversation and would have asked more about the cultures of Earth except that Tsuna would be unable to keep up with the questions due to his inability to speak. "It is unlike our world where our culture is quite stagnant or has so few. However, that might be one thing that keeps our world more together than Earth. We are all similar in the end."

Reborn snorted, standing up join Tsuna, half listening to the conversation as Verde continued rambling on, finished with his first cup of espresso. Pouring himself another cup, he leaned over the brunet, watching him work before looking at the pile of food that was quickly racking up. "You're making extras, aren't you?"

Tsuna nodded and pointed towards the current food, nudging it towards the raven.

"Done? I see, alright." Picking up the plate, he went back over to his fellow roommates, his cup in the other hand, and placed it down onto the middle but not before, taking a piece for himself. He wasn't going to try and fight for his own food and with Tsuna making more, he would get enough. Fong and Colonello were next to grab an omelet, more familiar with Tsuna's cooking and more trusting on knowing how it would taste. The others seemed to hesitate, eyeing it as if it might be drugged, worse poisoned, however, when they saw the others, especially Reborn, eating it as if nothing wrong, they slowly dug in. The reactions ranged widely among the group, surprise being one of the major responses.

"This is good…" Lal muttered after taking the first bite and immediately went for more, almost looking like she wanted to start stuffing her face. The others weren't too far behind, quickly devouring the food without thought, their minds similar to one other.

Reborn was the first to finish and glanced over to Tsuna curiously to see if anymore had been finished. The plate he had brought over was just enough to give everyone one, but the raven could see the hunger in those eyes, good food could really do that to someone who didn't have it as often or rarely. As if sensing what Reborn wanted, Tsuna turned around, picking up one of the pans with the spatula in it and lifted it closer so that Reborn could scoop up the just finished omelet, placing it onto his plate, before the brunet turned back to start on another one. The other three on the pans were just about to be done.

Through the constant asking for extras, Viper being a little more hesitant and asking if he would be charged for it, which he got a 'no' for, Tsuna was kept busy for most of the morning and ate only between the waiting time for the omelets to be finished, not that he minded. The group had almost finished an entire carton of twenty-four eggs within that one breakfast setting.

"You know what's funny?" Fong brought up during halfway through everyone's meal. "I think this might be the first time in a long while where all of us are down here together." That one statement made everyone look up and around curiously to confirm that indeed everyone was here, no one was off for missions or for jobs or hiding from certain people's days to cook. It was odd, but they seemed to put it out of mind as they went back to continue eating.

"Oh god, I feel so full. I can't eat another bite, kora." Colonello grumbled loudly, leaning back against his chair thirty minutes later. He had managed to scarf down three omelets happily, enjoying the rare goodness called food. Eating out could only do so much compared to a great home-cooked meal.

"For once, I agree with the idiot," Lal snorted, placing her eating utensils down onto her empty plate, she too had managed to eat three. It was just too good to stop and wiped her lips with a napkin. The rest were nodding in agreement, looking quite stuffed, except for Reborn who looked the same. Tsuna smiled happily, finishing up his breakfast while still standing, never gotten the chance to sit down, before shifting over to start gathering the plates, however, the raven stopped him. Lal glanced over for a moment before nodding in agreement and turned to Colonello to kick his chair. "Hey, Colonello, it's your turn to wash isn't it?"

The blonde blinked before nodding. "Oh, yeah…It is, kora." He grumbled but got up, gathering the dishes to put them into the sink. Tsuna looked willing to help, but Reborn shook his head and held him down.

"You did the cooking, there's no need for you to wash. It's only fair." Lal glared at the blonde as if daring him to try and escape. Tsuna blinked his eye and nodded in compliance, it wasn't as if he could wash that easily with one hand anyway, Reborn generally had to help him on that part.

"Well, then, if that's all I need to be here for, I'm leaving." At that, Verde stood up, picking up his stacks of papers, and headed off into somewhere in the house, Viper did the same. Skull gave a thumbs-up, saying that he was impressed with Tsuna's cooking and that he should be honored to have the 'Great Skull' eat it. His speech was only halfway through when Reborn decided that kicking the purple-haired man to shut him up was a better idea.

Tsuna stood off to the side with Lal and Fong as they watched Skull get beaten for saying stupid things and still continued to do so, letting Reborn retort back with kicks. Soon, Colonello stepped in once he finished with the dishes, the brunet suspecting the blonde used his water magic to quicken the pace since it had only taken less than a minute to complete everything. After that, the two hotheaded men turned on each other, throwing punches and bickering between the two, temporarily ignoring the broken purple-haired man on the floor.

But regardless of the chaos that seemed to be a norm here in this household, he found it quite fun, settling down next to Fong to watch the fighting two. He made sure that he was far enough to be safe from any crossfire, noting that Skull was slowly crawling away, and smiled. Yeah, today had been fun.

'Hmm…Is this what a real family looks and feels like?' Tsuna thought to himself, only for that process to be broken by Colonello flying passed him, crashing out the window behind. He ducked instinctively, for now, he should be thinking about his own safety first.


	13. Chapter 13

"Hmm, it seems like you must have used some spells to speed up your healing progress," The doctor looked over the wounds carefully with a critical eye, making sure not to miss anything important. Tsuna's shirt was off, leaving him bare, and he blushed at being exposed to both the doctor and Reborn at the same time regardless of the fact that this had happened multiple times during the checkup. He glanced at the Meraviglian in embarrassment before turning back to the other person. "Let's check this eye of yours first then your throat. Your arm seems to be almost healed up so I think next week I should be able to take it off and do a quick x-ray to double check on the progress. After that, we'll either keep it off or just simply put you in a sling."

Tsuna nodded rapidly, happy that he was almost done healing up. Before long, he would be free of these confinements that were constantly holding him down. As the doctor reached over to do his work, Reborn seemed to get closer, moving around so that he could get a better look at the situation. He wanted to see how much the magic spells had managed to heal up. He hoped that it was most if not all.

As the bandages began to peel off, Tsuna blinked his good eye in response and then slammed both eyes closed the moment the last wrap was off. The cool air stung his left eye from the lack of use, a few tears welled up in the tear duct before leaking out, and slowly he peeked it open, his vision blurry before sluggishly clearing up moments later. He rubbed his eyes gently, using his sleeve to wipe away the tears, and then stared out, blinking rapidly. Tsuna looked around the room before glancing back at Reborn with a smile, able to see the man clearly with both eyes.

The doctor beamed at the sight, nodding his head. "Seems like it's healed up so far. Let's check your vision, we'll go through some tests real quick. I need you to focus on the clock behind me and when I say 'now', look at the pen before you," Tsuna followed the directions and as the tests continued, the doctor would continue nod his head as he mentally checked things off. "Looks like everything is intact, nothing damaged, no noted abnormalities. You're a very lucky person. Now let's see your throat."

Reborn pulled over a chair so that he wouldn't have to stand for such a long period of time and sustained in watching the two, smirking since he was a little happy that Tsuna was going to be okay. The throat was mostly healed from the damage despite what had happened yesterday and as Tsuna tried to talk, his voice was raspy from disuse.

"Tha…nk you," Tsuna gasped, coughing a little. He turned to Reborn with a soft smile. "Re…born what…do you…want to eat tonight?"

The raven chuckled, shifting his chair closer to hear better. "Spaghetti with tomato sauce. You know how I like it. Oh, and an espresso on the side."

Tsuna pouted at that last part about the espresso, mumbling about how one is not supposed to drinking that so late. 'Maybe I should try making a Caffé Macchiato for him instead…' He reached up to stab Reborn in the stomach playfully before getting his clothes back on.

"Well, it's good to see that everything is alright. You'll just need to be careful with your vocal, don't do any screaming or yelling and try to speak in a soft voice until you feel you're better. Regardless, you're a really lucky person, Sawada. It's a shame that the one that did this to you is still here," The doctor sighed, marking off a couple more things on the board before him. Reborn seemed to perk up at that, eyebrows raised, and Tsuna tensed at the mentioning.

The sharpness in those black eyes made the doctor shiver, they looked positively evil and had every intention to burn him alive. "Why _is_ he still here? He should have been expelled for what he did."

"Yes, but if he did leave then it would be harder to control him outside these settings. It's a shame. You would have to kill the boy in order to keep him from doing anymore terrible things. He's now, what you can consider, been imprisoned in this school. If he were to try and leave, I heard that an organization called Vindice would come after him and will either kill him or imprison him in a torturous setting. All those that come to this school to learn to become Capturers must know these rules and abide them. The Assurers can be let off easily, but if it comes down to it, they can be killed off to let the Capturer go free since he'll no longer have any pacts that they need to control him with."

Reborn sneered at that, getting up from his spot. The damn school couldn't do anything, regardless of what the doctor had just said, the boy would be kept in the school grounds to continue creating trouble, probably well aware that he will rot in this place for the rest of his life. Tsuna could see the anger radiating on the raven and followed behind, not wanting to get too far away. But he too knew that the school system wasn't right, his tormentors had gotten off too easy, despite the other rules, he could still continue his deeds without care. It wasn't fair. Not at all.

* * *

Reborn peered over the dorm room he had inhabited ever since arriving to Earth, almost feeling at home after being here for so long, and it was as if he belonged here. Currently, it was Monday and Tsuna was in class, looking somewhat disappointed when he left the room, probably because he wanted to stay longer with him. It was cute to see such a sight.

Anyway, for yesterday, Reborn and Tsuna had spent the whole time talking, getting the brunet used to speaking once more. By the end of the day, they had managed to work out all the pauses and stutters until Tsuna had seemed to regain his ability to speak. It was like his voice had gone back to normal. It made the raven feel a little warm at the thought of finally being able to interact with each other instead of the brunet using paper to communicate like before. It had been simply too quiet and now with Tsuna talking every chance he got, things seemed to have brightened up in the dorm room almost immediately.

Now, thinking back, he looked over the place once more. He knew where everything was at, memorizing the locations…except there was one spot he hadn't touch. He didn't want to, believing it was something private by the way Tsuna had hidden it away behind the clothes in their now shared closet, but still, he was never one to actually respect one's limit. He was curious and he wanted to find out.

So today, seeing as Tsuna wasn't around and in class, he slipped into the said closet to investigate, pushing aside the clothes to move further into the back. He wanted to know what was so important to have it hidden away as it is. Taking out the large box with some trouble due to the weight of it, which wasn't hard to find even though it had been well covered with discarded clothes, he opened the lid and froze. Artworks, sketch pads, paints, and so many brushes and utensils that it was hard to count were within, stacked up neatly and carefully to make sure they wouldn't be crushed or damaged. Then he remembered it. Tsuna had told him that he had gone to an art school and adored doing his work. 'So he wasn't lying about that.'

Picking up the first sketch pad he saw, he flipped through the pages with a soft smile, stopping at a few when he recognized what they were about. A couple was about the place where they had first met and, though it was only in black and white, it was so lifelike and all the details were there even to the smallest speck. He wondered what it would look like if colored in, it would probably appear exactly like it, and he could see all those vibrant paints that could be used to make it happen.

Flipping through more, he spotted some people he didn't recognize. A person with spiky hair that was similar to Tsuna's, but the eyes that had been drawn was so cold looking, like it was ice. The man was dressed in a pinstriped suit with a cape wrapped around the shoulders, and had gloves on that looked like it had a symbol at the back of the hands. Reborn tried to read it but the direction of how Tsuna had drawn the image had left that impossible.

He turned the page again. There was another person, this time with more flattened locks and seemed to look elegant with the way he smiled, a gentle type of curve. He seemed friendlier-looking compared to the other person and the eyes were more alive, but still cold. It was odd how much a picture could tell about one person. Reborn couldn't throw away the thought that these two people looked very similar to Tsuna, perhaps these were his brothers? Memorizing the images, he continued.

More images were inside, some that looked like fellow students and sceneries that surrounded the school like trees, plants, buildings, and many more. Before long, he finished that sketch pad and placed it to the side, this time pulling out a portfolio. Colored artworks were strapped to the binding and he could only stare at the details, the shades seemingly blending in just right, it was like there was magic on the artwork. The tint of purple on a blue sky that made it more lifelike or the people inside that appeared to be breathing. It was just simply beautiful.

His eyes never strayed from the fantastic array of colors that ranged in-between the primary and secondary wheel of colors and then wondered to himself, why hadn't he ever seen them around in the dorm room? Surely Tsuna would want to show off his prideful pieces of work to the world or even to himself. But then he thought back to those bullies, all of them, and the various amounts he had to deal with ever since coming to Earth. There had been a few that had appeared at Tsuna's doorstep a couple times, only to be turned away when Reborn always answered the door. He would fire a couple times at them as warning, telling them to never show up again, but some still came back. 'Wouldn't be amazed if they broke in here to mess some things up, probably why he hid them in here in the first place.'

He put the portfolio down and went digging through the supplies to pull out more finished artworks, gazing at each and every one of them with a critical eye. He noticed the dates, finding many going back by years and some a few months ago.

Curious, he went to the more recent sketchbook that looked newer than the worn-out ones where the pages had already started turning yellow from the exposure to the elements of nature. He found the date on it going to a month before he had first met Tsuna and immediately went through, his curiosity getting the better of him. The first few pages were merely scenery and then he saw it, _himself_.

Tsuna had drawn him in all his glory, suit, fedora, everything. It was perfect, all the details were there, all shaded in with pinpoint accuracy. He was simply standing, slightly slumped to the side, arms folded, and his fedora was covering his eyes, giving it a darker look. He was tempted to go to a mirror to see the difference between this piece of art and himself, but resisted.

Regardless, Reborn couldn't help but smirk in amusement and flipped to the next page, seeing another one of himself. This time he didn't have his fedora and it was more of a facial shot, probably to get his hair and his expressions. If Reborn didn't know this was a sketch, he swore he was looking into a mirror. More pages passed by all about him, some just about his expressions, others about position. It was amazing how fully detailed each and every one was as if Tsuna had been careful to make sure not to miss a single fragment of the feature.

He even saw a few of his monster form well-drawn, the heaviness on the shading showing the darkness around him. And then others he recognized started presenting themselves. There were three pages of Fong, probably because Tsuna wasn't able to meet him much before the incident that took his arm, and despite the short meeting, the same professional hands were there. On the last page of Fong, his friend was sitting at a table, drinking tea, and for a moment, Reborn wondered once again how this would look like in color.

There was one on Colonello and Skull, neither going too far in depth due to the lack of information and imagery to work with. Tsuna hadn't been able to capture their images all that well, but Reborn could see the how impressive it was. The brunet had some good memory for these sorts of things, able to catch the tiny details of the rings, the spots on the garbs, to even the way the hair seemed to flow in the right angles.

'I should bring this back with me and show it to the others. I wonder how they would react seeing themselves on paper.' Reborn chuckled, already imagining their expressions.

Flipping through more pages, he found a picture of a girl he didn't know about and he knew it wasn't a student, the clothes obviously different and more to his own world. 'An Assurer?' Below the image, the name 'Kyoko' was written along with 'Hana's Assurer' right beside it. He smirked, he had been right. Taking a more detailed look over the girl, he could tell that she most likely had a very kind soul and good-natured, the way Tsuna captured it was far too obvious. The next page held Hana sitting in a desk, her name just written above.

After that, it stopped, no more pictures had been drawn and Reborn suspected that the last one had been done before the attack which left Tsuna without his right arm. Shaking his head at what a lost it was, he placed the sketchbook behind him, noticing that he would like to keep that one out so he could look at it more. As he reached for another book, he heard a voice.

"R-Reborn?"

Snapping his head up towards the entrance of Tsuna's bedroom, Reborn couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. He had been so caught up in his little investigation that he had failed to notice the rest of the world was still moving, but he hadn't thought that looking through all these pictures would take this long. 'Well, it's to be expected, they just know how to draw one's full attention in. Though to be so engulfed in it that I stopped paying attention to my surroundings is impressive.' Reborn smirked, picking up another book to start looking through. "Welcome back, Tsuna."

The horrified look on the brunet didn't seem to go away. "R-Reborn, w-what…"

"These are really beautiful, Tsuna," Reborn's eyes peered up, opening a page up to a picture of some random woman walking down a street. "It's a shame to keep them stored up in a box like this. They should be out for viewing."

A blush slipped onto the brunet's face, looking a little embarrassed. That one comment seemed to calm him down slightly from his previous state. "Ah, well, it's not as if I could keep them out, not with all the trouble I had around here. A-And thanks, I'm glad you like them."

"Tsuna, when I say compliments on something, I mean it," Reborn closed the book and swat the human across the head slightly when he got close enough. "These are really wonderful and in my eyes, they look alive. You gave them life. Be proud of yourself for once."

Tsuna smiled softly at that, taking the praise happily, and scooted closer, before noticing there was one sitting behind the raven. He lifted it up with his left hand and looked at the date, the connection became clear. "O-Oh, you-"

Reborn smirked. "Already looked at it. You really liked drawing me, didn't you?"

"W-Well…" Blushing at being found out, he stared at it. "At that time, you were kinda an inspiration for me to draw and I just wanted to get out everything as much as I could. Then I started seeing more of your expressions and I wanted to draw them out, too. It's kinda hard to stop once I start." Wiggling his nose, his eyes peered down at the sketch pad, unable to believe that he had actually been found out. 'Oh, how embarrassing.'

"Tsuna, you have a picture of me smiling, not smirking or grinning, but _smiling_ and you made it look right. If my friends saw that, they would probably be pretty shocked, I bet one or two of them just might faint," Reborn huffed, moving around so that he could now lean against the side of the bed, turning through another book. "I take it that once your arm is healed, you'll go back to drawing, yes?"

"Yeah, of course. I really miss it. It keeps my mind off things."

"What about painting? I saw a few in the box but the most recent one dates back a year and a half ago."

At that, Tsuna looked a little scared, shoulders slumping depressingly. "Ah, well, I would love to except…"

"Except?" Reborn nudged on, his thoughts on his earlier theories coming back in his mind. "Your bullies sometimes break in."

"Y-Yeah, they get in here and mess things up. If I were to paint, I would need to leave the canvas out to dry. It's just not possible. And the paint, the good paint I want, isn't cheap. My coloring pencils are like 200 yen per pencil, this box of fifty markers with special felt-tip ends that leave the best thin lines cost me 15000 yen, these brushes that are Kolinsky stable, the top brand of paint brushes for water coloring, cost around 1000 to 4000 yen each. These are not items I want to leave out in the open for anyone to grab and destroy or steal." Tsuna huffed, red in the face, looking confident as he went about explaining more on his items, from the brush hairs to the markers. Reborn really felt like he was being lectured about art.

Holding up a hand, the raven knew he had to stop the brunet before things got too far. "Alright, I get it. You really know about art," Seeing the embarrassed face on Tsuna's features, Reborn smirked. "It's not a bad thing. Be proud that you know so much on this subject. It was your major after all. However, once your arm is all better, I want you out in the living room painting. Don't worry about those idiots outside, I'll take care of them."

"R-Really?" Tsuna stared at the other all wide-eyed, hope shining brightly in those optimistic honey-colored orbs. Reborn knew right away that looking into those eyes when saying any sort of request that it would be impossible to say no even when he didn't want to. He simply smirked and reached over, patting the brunet on the head. His answer was easy to understand and the smile on Tsuna's face brightened up, looking down at his cast, hoping it would disappear soon. He couldn't wait. He only had one week left on this cast before it was gone, he wished time would move faster, there were far too many ideas he wanted to draw out.

* * *

Three more days passed by and the two were once more settled back into their little routine, not that either minded. But Tsuna's nightmares hadn't disappeared, they came back twice, and during both times, Reborn came in to comfort the scared brunet. Tsuna's grasp on the other wouldn't loosen up once he had calmed down and in the end, they ended up sleeping together in bed until morning when Tsuna had to get up for class or to cook breakfast. The raven always asked in the morning what the nightmare was about, but the brunet could only shake his head, unable to remember anything.

The night after that, the raven simply got used to sleeping in their now shared bed, cuddling up to each other for warmth, blankets having a tendency to be tossed off some time during slumber. Reborn didn't like the thought of sharing a bed with anyone, but Tsuna quickly made that exception and didn't mind being used as a pillow.

Regardless, it gave him an excuse not to head back to his own world during the night and slept just fine with the extra body clutching onto him. He wondered what the others would think about him being in this situation and their reactions towards it. Well, he would get there when he did and it wasn't as if they were going to find out anytime soon.

"Reborn, what would you like for breakfast?" Tsuna asked as he stepped into the kitchen, peering over the ingredients in the refrigerator and pantry. Today he didn't have a morning class, luckily the professor had called in sick so that left some free time with the raven.

Reborn settled onto the kitchen table, thinking for a moment, before shaking his head. "Don't know, you decide. Surprise me. Whatever it is, I'll eat it and love it."

Tsuna snickered at that and began pulling out some flour, sugar, and other things. "Alright, I'll make something different than my usual, something deep-fried." Smiling, he began cracking some eggs with one hand, and ruffling through his cabinets to pull out other things out. There was some flour, measuring cups, sugar, Reborn could go on, but decided it wasn't worth it. Still, he smirked at the sight, glad to see the other in such high spirits and glanced up at the clock, then back down. They had _plenty_ of time before Tsuna needed to head to his afternoon class.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the doorbell rang, alerting him that there was someone just outside. Tsuna snapped his head up in concern, his hand momentarily freezing at the sound, paling slightly. He only had one thought on who it could be outside and it wasn't hard to guess who. Despite Reborn's harsh attempts in keeping the bullies away, some were still stupid enough to keep coming back for more, and then there was the newly-added fan group that had been somewhat stalking the handsome raven around, who kept continuously ringing the doorbell just to see him. Reborn huffed at that, giving a reassuring glance at the brunet, telling him that he would take care of everything, and went towards the door.

Peeking through the peephole, he raised an eyebrow at the sight of the person behind. The man on the other side did not appear to look like any average bully that seemed to torment Tsuna regularly, no, the clothes were completely different. At the same time, they were not the normal uniform and instead appeared to be some high class member, which crossed out 'professor' in his mind. He also noted that it wasn't possible to be one of those idiotic fangirls either seeing as it was a male. Reborn hummed to himself for a moment before unlocking and opening the door to see what this human wanted.

"Yes?" His voice was deep and held that irritation in it, he never enjoyed having to deal with such assholes so early in the morning.

The other person had a surprised look on his face, those brown eyes wide, and seemed to flip back his long golden bangs back for a moment. There was a moment of silence before the other answered. "I see, so you're the so-called bodyguard that's been staying with my little brother."

Reborn raised an eyebrow at the man, examining the person further, before registering the words. The blond man stood there with an elegant smile, dressed in a fine pressed pants, neat white undershirt, with fur-lined orange jacket, and had earthly brown eyes peering out towards him. But, Reborn noticed it immediately, he reminisced seeing someone similar before, he looked like the man that had been in one of Tsuna's sketchbooks. No, they were one and the same. He could remember Tsuna's sketches clearly. 'Could this person be one of Tsuna's…'

"D-Dino?" A weak timid voice called out from behind the raven, startling him somewhat at how…different it sounded. Turning slightly, he caught sight of the pale complexion of Tsuna before turning to glare at the blond, shifting slightly to get in front of the brunet.

'A sibling, huh. Wondered when I would finally meet one.' Reborn snorted, his dark eyes still on the other carefully, watching every move, never once dropping it. 'Well, this will be interesting.'


	14. Chapter 14

"So, this is the man that Tsuna has staying with him," Dino hummed to himself, looking over the person carefully, his skills at detection as strong as ever. He could tell immediately by the odd presence and aura that radiated from the man that this was a Meraviglian, and a powerful one. Being around Assurers and Capturers for most of his life with his younger brother Giotto and his grandfather Timoteo gave him the ability to tell apart between the two easily and with that, he was able to identify what other normal humans couldn't. This person, Reborn, was perhaps the person that could…no, he wouldn't go any further until he'd seen this Meraviglian in action. "I thought it was funny that your bills were getting slightly bigger than before."

"A-Ah, well…" Tsuna stuttered, knowing that look on his brother's face, it was calculative. He had seen it all the time whenever Dino was looking at someone, like he was trying to pick apart the very being and learn everything he could all at once, however and luckily for him, that look had never once been turned to him. It left a scary feeling on him just from seeing it and he shivered under those brown eyes, backing away momentarily. He had felt that look from Giotto a couple of times directly on him, but this was different.

"Well, at least I know you're at least safe now. However, what happened to your arm?" Dino's voice was strained like he was holding back on something, his expression kept in that stoic form he was used to. It was his business face and Tsuna knew it wouldn't be cracked easily, his older brother was a professional after all.

Still, the brunet couldn't help but peer down at the mentioned cast curiously. Regardless, Dino's eyes didn't lift up from the said cast and trailed over the entire body, noticing the color difference on the neck and head. The blonde was able to tell that there had been some bandages wrapped around those spots, but why? He wasn't too sure about that. He would need to look into the records to find out what had occurred.

Reborn narrowed his eyes as he looked over the blonde, his eyes reading Dino's complete form, watching for anything suspicious, anything that was strange. Why did it seem like there were two-sides to this man? He could already note the difference seeing as the actions varied from the words spoke, the movement contradicted with what Dino was trying to do. How odd.

Dino spoke once more when he didn't get a reply. "Did something happen?"

"Obviously." The raven answered with a growl, glaring at the blonde, and despite the conversation flow, he hadn't moved an inch away from the brunet. He looked ready for a fight if necessary.

'Protective…' Dino noted to himself, it looked like his little brother had drawn someone in with his little charms. And because of that, he didn't know how to make of this new situation, it was different compared to the general he dealt with.'Very protective…maybe possessive, too.'

"This school was bribed to wager a fight between Tsuna and some classmates of his, however, Tsuna here doesn't have an Assurer to fight for him in the first place. This was the end result, it looks better than it did before." Reborn's glare didn't lighten up and the blonde knew he was being examined by those dark eyes, every movement he made was being registered carefully. The eldest of the two brothers wanted nothing more than to shiver, they were scarier than his father's or any clients he had meet, but still he kept on. He could not show any weakness, this was a fight.

"I…see," Dino registered the information, unable to hide the narrowing of his eyebrows. A fight? That wasn't what he had expected and wasn't something that was supposed to happen on school ground, he would need to investigate this more thoroughly to find out the truth. "I'm afraid I wasn't aware of that. I take it he's alright now, yes?" His eyes drifted away from the raven and looked once more at his brother, noticing that there was more confidence in those eyes, more happiness, and he could see those smiles that had been aimed at the taller man.

Reborn's stare hadn't left and instead raised an eyebrow, peering behind at Tsuna for a moment then back. "Tsuna, I thought you told me your family hates you."

The brunet perked up at that, looking between Reborn and his older brother, watching the blonde taking a step back. Did Dino just flinch? Why? "Ah, yes, they do."

"Hmm, that doesn't seem to be true in your brother's case here. His expression may look cold, but his eyes when they turn towards you seem to lighten up. And his actions are contradicting his words," Reborn smirked, looking positively gleeful, as if finding some sort of magical loophole in a pile of nonsense. "I don't believe your brother hates you as much as you believe he does. Isn't that right, Dino?"

The blonde narrowed his eyes at that, taking a step back. Had he just been read? No, he had never allowed that to happen, not even his father or grandfather, both were professional readers, could get through his wall. 'What is he? A detective?'

"Do I look like one?" Reborn snorted.

Dino twitched. 'Considering he's a Meraviglian, perhaps he has the ability to read minds?'

"No, I can't read minds, but I know someone who can," Actually, those expressive brown eyes on Dino made things far too easy to understand what the blonde was thinking, the way the emotions flowed through them. Reborn could already see himself having fun teasing this one, he was far too easy, and grinned,wanting to mess with both brothers for a moment. Tsuna just looked between the two curiously, not entirely sure on what was going on. "Tsuna, your brother doesn't hate you, no, I'd say he's been taking care of you behind the scenes. Didn't you tell me one time that he was the one that's been sending you money? I believe there's more to that."

"H-Huh?"

Dino's eyes widened for a moment, taking a step back. "W-What are you talking about? I have no love towards my useless brother."

"Your eyebrows twitched when you said that," Reborn smirked, stepping closer, his grin positively evil. "And you also stuttered as well."

The blonde remained quiet, turning away from the raven. He didn't want to reveal anymore of himself, it was enough as it was. Never had he felt this open before, like someone had torn apart his shield. He watched as Tsuna came up to him, looking at him curiously, questions obvious in those large eyes. There was some hesitation in that movement, of course, watching his arms for anything, afraid that those limbs would come up and slap him across the face or shove him aside.

Still, the brunet wanted to know if what Reborn said was true. Was he really loved? Actually cared for, not hated. It would make all the difference in his family, to let him know that there was at least one person out there that truly loved him as a blood relation and didn't see him as a useless, pathetic, waste of space. Slowly, Tsuna reached out, grasping hold of Dino's arm carefully and when he saw no movement to being hit (now that he remembered, Dino had never used violence against him), he held on tightly. "Dino-nii?"

Those earthly brown eyes turned away once more, not wanting to look for too long. He would simply crack under those large innocent honey-colored eyes. They looked so wide in wonder, like a child, but he knew better, Tsuna had lost his innocence to the dark world through family. The brunet dwelled in it and lived with it right within the walls of his home, but had the ability to deal with that said darkness as it surrounded him crushingly.

"Dino-nii, please answer me."

"Tsuna, I…" He started, but stopped soon after, unsure on what to say. His face twisted in anger and turned away, wanting nothing more than to escape his predicament. He hadn't come here to be talked to, only to check up on Tsuna, that was it.

Just as he was about to rip himself away, he heard Reborn take a step forward and shivered at the way those eyes promised despair and death. They were definitely the scariest he had ever dealt with and trembled terribly under that gaze. It was best to get it all out, it was for Tsuna, everything was for him.

Dino sighed, relaxing with his shoulders falling down, and finally spoke. "Forgive me, I…was never honest with you. Our father is simply too controlling," As he started, he knew he had everyone's full attention. Before he realized it, he was babbling out whatever he could think of, everything he had wanted to say for a long time. "He ordered us to hate you, Giotto as well, however, I'm afraid for him, it grew stronger because he ended up agreeing with Dad. However, luckily for him, he always had a more business sense and was careful about his image than anything else. I…I never went along, at least, not completely." The blonde raised his hand up to scratch his neck, looking nervous. He had never imagined revealing himself so soon, it was harder to do in person that in an imaginary world called his mind. "You are my adorable little brother and I've tried my best to protect you behind our father's back from the background or else he would be constantly on my case."

"W-What? What do you mean?" Tsuna was staring, there was something akin to hope in his eyes…perhaps everything wasn't as bad as he thought…

"Do you know why I got the smaller company even though I was the eldest, Tsuna? And it wasn't because I was clumsy, well, it was a part of it. It was actually because Dad saw what I was trying to do, he saw that I was disobeying him in protecting you from him, but luckily for me, my good looks and ability to perform couldn't turn me away from any position I wanted. Dad knew I could turn things around just as much as Giotto could, but since our brother followed Dad's words, he got Vongola instead of me. Still, with the company I was given, I took control of it, changed it, and used it in my favor," Dino closed his eyes for a moment, sighing slightly, knowing that his words couldn't stop yet, there was still so much to say. "I supported you from behind, I gave you what you needed, money for college, money to live off of, and it was all I could do without getting caught."

"M-Money for college? But I got a scholarship for it," Tsuna looked positively confused until it clicked. "That scholarship was given to me from you wasn't it…"

"Yes, I knew you would succeed, I knew you were a good little brother, that's why I paid for everything, and I still do. But then Dad, well, you know what happened. Honestly, he was trying to kick you out into the streets, but you were able to keep going by getting jobs to support yourself and then Dad continued to act up. Well, I pulled a few strings and managed to place you here in this school where you would be safer and away from the watchful eyes of our father. It was the best I could do with Dad watching my very move. At least then, you'll be away from Mom and her constant disapproving glances."

"Dino, I…" Tsuna knotted his eyebrows before stepping forward, engulfing his oldest brother in massive hug. Reborn stood to the side with a smirk, watching as the brothers began to make up from the years of separation forced upon by their own blood father. He was starting to find more reasons to find this asshole of a man to kill. At least he knew Dino had earned a spot in his book for being a good guy.

The blonde immediately returned the hug, bringing himself closer to the other, almost about to cry. A few tears were shredded from his eyes, dropping down, and Dino smiled happily, glad that at long last he was finally forgiven. "I'm sorry, brother, I'm so sorry. I did the best I could to protect you. Can you ever forgive me for what I put you through?'

With a wide smile, Tsuna nodded his head, burying himself further into his brother, never wanting to let go. He was happy, he was so happy. As he pulled away, he reached up with his good hand and wiped away the tears. "Of course! At least I know that behind the scenes you were trying to protect me. I'm so glad that one of my family members cares about me."

Dino sighed at that. "Sorry about Giotto though, it's not entirely his fault, its father's and you know it. I remember a time when all of us brothers were holding hands together happily and then Dad came in to tear us all apart. I didn't like it. I liked it when we were all smiling as one, it was one of my most treasured memories."

"I could never hate my brothers. It was always Dad and Grandfather that would make me miserable and should be blamed-"

"No, we, your older brothers, should be blamed as well and be held accountable. We should have known better, especially Giotto, that something was wrong with their orders."

Tsuna's shoulders slumped at that, wanting to argue back, but was silenced by Dino's hand raising up.

"Don't make excuses for us, you're more than welcome to blame us. But things are done and can't be taken back, we can only work towards the future now," Dino chuckled, patting the brunet on the head gently. "Well, I hope we can bring our relationship back to normal or at least repair it. But I need to warn you, I'll still have to act against you when Dad is nearby, I can't have him being suspicious of me. Hopefully, I can avoid such confrontations." He didn't need to go any further to see Tsuna's eyes shining brightly, definitely and easily defined in happiness. The blonde knew he was getting a second chance.

But at least now, Tsuna will know that anything he did to him was only to hide his true feelings away. The brunet, after all, knew their father better than anyone else on how terrible he could act.

"Ah, that's right, little brother. I actually came here to give you something, a present of sorts. I was actually going to give it to you anonymously, but that's no longer needed." Dino grinned happily and glanced behind him at the doorway where he had placed a box at. He had almost forgotten about it honestly until he saw Tsuna's wonderful artwork on the walls, a few scenery paintings hanged up neatly. It had been a while since he last saw them. "I remembered you mentioning this one time and I used my persuasion skills to get this for you. I hope you like it."

Tsuna stared at the box, carefully taking it into his hands, and examined around it for anything suspicious. Finding nothing, he placed the box on the kitchen table and opened the lid, peering inside curiously. What he saw made his entire face break out into a wide grin. "Oh my god! Are these Winsor & Newton Artist's Acrylics? And a whole set of all eighty colors? This must have been expensive!"

"It's only 60,000 yen."

Tsuna stared at his brother before yelling, "60,000 yen?! That's a lot of money!" Seeing his older brother flinch at that, he toned it down and thought it out. Well, considering Dino's job, he should be aware that the eldest would have a lot of money to be spared.

"It's alright, little brother. I have plenty of money to spend and I just thought that it's better if I use it on you than on myself. I kinda have everything I would ever want materially. The only thing I really pay for is for the stuff I keep breaking." Dino laughed at that, rubbing the back of his head. Tsuna sighed, he should have really seen this coming. Regardless, he tackled his brother, holding on tightly happily.

Perhaps things were changing for the better. And it had started ever since he had met Reborn…

"You have to leave today, right? Then I'll cook you breakfast and even lunch if you want and you can take some extras home with you."

The eldest blinked. "Eh? Shouldn't I be cooking? I'm the eldest after all."

Tsuna gave a look of horror and flushed his face angrily, almost threateningly. "Absolutely not! Don't go near my kitchen!"

"Awww…I'm not that bad."

"Yes, you are! I remember you managed to destroy all the cabinets at the main house whenever we were together!And you somehow placed a huge dent into one of the pans as well!"

Reborn almost wasn't able to contain his laughter, these brothers were going to be a handful, he could just see it happening.

* * *

Dino, despite all the trouble he caused for his family because of his clumsiness, never ever hated his younger brother. No, he loved him. He was adorable, sweet, and so very loving. He could see that in those large eyes when they looked at him. But he couldn't show it. No, his family was too controlling, too demanding, and loved to order him around. And he too had to follow the rules. Destroy Tsuna. It was a terrible rule, an appalling thing. And he had to follow.

Though he had do the same terrible acts to his cute younger brother, he always made sure to make them as light as possible while not directing suspicion towards his motives. He couldn't let anyone find out before he was successful. No one was to find out until it was too late to be stopped.

He wanted his younger brother to be free, it was a hard thing to do, but Dino had to try. Even when he had been forced to take over a smaller company while his older of his two younger brothers got the bigger, he still tried. And anyway, he didn't mind his current job and actually used to it make sure Tsuna was well taken care of.

When Tsuna wanted to go into that art and culinary school in Japan, Dino had pulled a few strings to let the judges see his work first before making any decisions. He had total confidence that his brother would pull it off and get accepted and he did. Tsuna was immediately taken in and placed into the classes, working his way up to the top with his skills. Money wasn't an issue, under the false pretense of a scholarship, Dino made sure to pay for all the expenses, demanding to the school that if Tsuna got wind of anything he had been doing or anyone else, he wouldn't hesitate to use his own company against them and tear them apart.

With the threat, the school did as they were told, writing everything off as it should, and Tsuna was happy. Dino knew that for a fact because one day, he had decided to peek in on his younger brother during one class session to see him smiling so cheerfully. It made him feel better and less guilty for all the horrible things he had been forced to do. At least here Tsuna could be free as he was meant to be. And anyway, Dino loved Tsuna's artwork, he made sure to keep every single one of them he got his hands on hidden and locked up in a safe where even his father couldn't get to. They were precious, no one was going to get them.

And then his father screwed it all up. His fucking dumbass of a father forced Tsuna out of school and back to an unwanted home to defend himself from the harshness. No job Tsuna searched for lasted long enough and soon, no place wanted to hire him in fear of being destroyed. Dino did the best he could without Iemitsu finding out, he sent hidden amounts of money, checks, donations, to his brother's home where he stayed with their mother, but it wasn't enough to the rising expenses of bills, food, and other things that needed to be paid off with the combination of them both.

So Dino tried to pull a couple more strings and used them on his own father in hopes of convincing him to send him elsewhere, somewhere Dino could keep a more watchful eye. He would get Iemitsu to send Tsuna to Relinquish University, a place where the blonde hoped that Tsuna could be able to gain some companions to help break those shackles. It was the best he could do. He knew that Iemitsu was unable to be a Capturer, he didn't have that special ability, something Dino knew could be taken advantage of since Tsuna has it. Though, he himself couldn't be one either, he would work with what he had in his hands.

Once more, since the school has been paid off by their father, Dino provided the additional money into a bank account his father couldn't touch and combined it under Tsuna's name so that he would be able to monitor and use it. The idea had been brilliant and Tsuna was able to use the money to live the way he wanted. There were times he would take a peek and see what Tsuna spent on, but it was nothing more than the basics and art supplies. It was funny to see that despite everything and all the money his brother got from him, Tsuna refused to spend more than needed and saved up for anything he really wanted. He had been shocked a few times at the amount his brother could spend in one setting for his art supplies, but then again, the brunet barely spent anything than just necessaries to live off of.

Still, he was glad that his brother's favorite hobby and lifestyle had never faltered once since arriving to the new school. However, recently, he had noticed the increased amount of spending on the groceries and extra items. It didn't make sense, but the amount of money Tsuna spent was enough for two people…That wasn't possible…was it? He hummed to himself, maybe his little brother had finally found someone to be with? It was possible.

With Tsuna's kind hearted nature, he was sure to find someone to stay with him or perhaps love? Dino grinned to himself at the thought and decided to call up the school to ask what was going on. The response he got from that was…odd. Apparently, they were saying that Vongola had given Tsuna a bodyguard which wasn't possible since he doubted his father or brother would ever do such a thing. It was odd in a sense.

And so, he packed up his things and went to visit.


	15. Chapter 15

Tsuna and Dino had spent the whole morning together talking to each other, sharing brotherly secrets without a second thought, trying to get into the good relationship that had been forgotten over the years. Though it was still shaky here and there, they were trying to connect, that was the main and most important thing.

Reborn simply remained to the side, listening and watching, somewhat forgotten, but that was fine with him. Of course, he got to see Dino's clumsiness first hand when the blonde tripped and cracked the dining table in half, forcing the three to eat at the kitchen counter. And soon after, Dino had made a mess while eating breakfast, bended some of the silverware, among many other things.

Tsuna eventually snapped and kicked Dino out during lunch so that he wouldn't have to replace more things his brother had managed to destroy. But he, of course, made sure to cook a full course meal for the blonde to take home, giving it to Dino's men instead when they came around to pick him up so that it would actually make it back in one piece. As the blonde left the dorm room, he made a _loud_ promise that he would be back soon to visit.

Days continued to pass by and eventually came the day to get checked up by the doctor to take off the cast. Reborn decided to follow along as always to keep the other company and to listen to the progress, he was hoping for the best this time.

"Ah, Sawada Tsunayoshi, correct?" The doctor, a different one compared to the last one they had been visiting, asked and received a hesitant nod from the brunet. "The previous doctor you've been seeing is on vacation right now so I'll be doing your check-up on your arm today, alright? Hopefully your arm will be fully healed by today. Oh! And who's this?" It was at that point the doctor took notice of the other person who had followed the brunet in. His eyes narrowed at the sight of the taller man, remaining very close by to Tsuna, almost protectively. The raven simply glared, moving away slightly to shift to the side with his arms crossed.

"Chaos," Reborn smirked, flicking his fedora up with a finger. "I'm Reborn, a friend of Tsuna's."

"I see, well, if possible could you wait outside? I have some things I would like to ask Sawada privately. Patient confidentiality, you know?"

"Wait, Reborn can stay. I don't mind, he's been helping me this entire time while I've been recovering." Tsuna spoke up with a smile on his face, obviously happy that Reborn considered him as a friend. It was a dream came true. He never had a friend before so it was a wonderful feeling and he turned to the raven with a grin. The doctor chuckled at the eagerness the student showed and flipped open the clipboard to begin asking questions on how Tsuna had been and whatnot. The brunet replied without any hesitation, trying to answer as truthfully as possible.

"Alright, I've gotten everything I've needed. Seems like you've had no problems lately and that's a good sign. Let's check on that arm of yours," Immediately, the doctor went to work, removing the casting, but left the loose wraps underneath on so he could get the x-rays on the arm. He didn't want to take it off just in case it needed to be re-casted or placed into a sling. As he waited for the results from the lab, the doctor asked a few more questions. "Now, Sawada, you haven't had any more incidents for a while right? What about your nightmares? Have those been under control?"

Reborn perked up at that, his eyes going straight to Tsuna. "Nightmares?"

The doctor raised an eyebrow at that, realizing his mistake on asking such a question. He turned to Tsuna, about to voice something, when the brunet replied. "They come and go, but they seem to be getting better," Right after replying, the Capturer twisted around in his seat to get a better look at the raven. "Sorry, I didn't tell you before, but I have a tendency to have nightmares for no reason. I…don't really know why."

"You had some after you were attacked though."

"Yes, those were from when I was attacked. But I've had some that just came out of nowhere and it sometimes leaves me unable to sleep," Tsuna muttered under his breath, eyebrows furrowed together in frustration. "It can sometimes last for days and I've drawn a few of my nightmares, but none of them ever made sense before."

Reborn rubbed the bottom of his chin. He had seen a few of those nightmares the other had experienced when he was around, which had resulted him in sleeping in the same bed to calm Tsuna down. However, in the morning, the brunet mentioned that he couldn't remember what they were about and sometimes would look confused about one thing or another. It had been strange, but the raven had originally written them off as nightmares about the attack, he hadn't thought it was a pre-existing condition. "They don't seem as bad whenever I'm around and you're able to sleep properly soon after instead of staying up."

At that, the brunet blushed bright red. "T-That's because…well you, you know…" His face darkened as he tried to speak the words, knowing that whenever he had a nightmare, Reborn would sleep next to him. And that darkness that the other seemed to radiate was warm and calming despite its nature and it just lulled him into safety. He fell back to sleep easily because of that, because he knew he would be okay, that he would be protected.

"Oh?" The raven grinned, stepping closer, looking evil. "What? Can't say it?"

"Shut up!"

The doctor watched the interactions with amusement. It was obvious that the two were close and figured that Reborn was a good influence on keeping Tsuna's nightmares down. That was one thing he wouldn't need to check up on anymore at this rate. "Are you two a couple by any chance?"

"Hieee!" Tsuna yelled, looking positively freaked out, a dark scarlet color decorating his cheeks, while Reborn was simply staring with an eyebrow raised. "W-What?! No, we're not!"

"Ah, forgive me, it just seemed like you two were closer than friends with the way you both interacted. You both came in close together like neither of you wanted to be apart from each other. I only presumed that you had to be a couple." The doctor chuckled as he watched the brunet stuttered out more words without effect, trying to correct the situation with failure. Reborn simply stood where he was at, watching the human in amusement, before laughing lightly. The two friends argued with each other a little longer, the raven poking in some teasing here and there to get Tsuna even more flustered.

As the two continued on, the results from the x-ray came in and the doctor looked over the prints, nodding his head. "Okay, seems like everything is healed, but you still need to be careful with it. The bone managed to reattach itself so no stress or heavy lifting that might damage the growth." As the doctor began to take off the remaining bandages, Reborn suddenly kicked the wall, startling the other two.

"Re…born?" Tsuna questioned, wonder what had just happened. Why did the raven suddenly look a little freaked out? Did something happen?

The Meraviglian sighed in frustration, obviously hiding something, and leaned back against the wall. He lifted up his fedora to run a hand through his hair. "No, it's nothing, I just forgot about something. Continue."

As the doctor began taking off the rest, a little black line started to appear from underneath, growing very slowly as the bandages came off. Tsuna raised an eyebrow at that, watching as that line turned into a marking as it was further revealed. By the time everything was gone, the brunet's expression was pale and filled with shock. Those markings, he knew them, they could only mean one thing, and without meaning to, he let out a scream.

"A pact?! I have…a pact?! Since when?!" Tsuna cried out before stopping as realization began to settle on him. There was only _one_ person he could think of that would make a pact with him of all people, only one person he actually knew that was close enough to him, and snapped his head around to the suspected person. The brunet stared, going over the raven's calm appearance. "Reborn?"

The Meraviglian tilted his fedora, not looking concerned at all despite being found out about his little secret. "I was hoping it would take a little bit longer for you to find out. Oh well."

"But-!"

Reborn raised his hand up to cut the other off. "Look, I made the pact with you willingly. I felt that you had earned my trust to have me by your side and I'd appreciate it if you'd call me whenever you get into trouble or need me for your class," Reborn pushed himself away from the wall and stepped closer, tapping Tsuna's head with the back of his hand. "I wouldn't mind coming to help you."

Tsuna looked down, a tint of red dusting his cheeks, and nodded his head at that.

"This doesn't change our relationship and yes, I plan on hanging around on Earth with you despite the contract. And no, you can't get rid of me. By the way, tell the others I have a contract with you or reveal it, and I will torment you myself." Reborn huffed, arms still folded and glared, making the brunet shiver underneath it. That was a fitting warning, he didn't want to hear from the others how he had been the first one after so long to give himself way. Lightening up his expression so that Tsuna could relax, he reached over to get the other up and standing, beginning to roll down the uniform sleeve to cover up the mark on Tsuna's arm. He knew the brunet wouldn't like it to be known to the rest of the school just yet.

"Wait…" The doctor whispered, peering between the two. "You're a Meraviglian?"

"Obviously."

"But…" Tsuna muttered under his breath, finally thinking, still trying to wrap his head around everything. "I didn't…agree…to it. So how?"

Reborn huffed, knowing he would need to explain himself on that part. "I'm powerful enough to call the shots. You, of course, are allowed to cancel the agreement since you never did on your side, however, I doubt you will," He looked confident that the brunet would never erase the mark, it meant too much between them. And with this, he only hoped that Tsuna would have the decency to call for him whenever he was in trouble, though in the back of his mind, Tsuna probably wouldn't until it was too late or never. The idiot was too kindhearted.

The brunet looked at the contract that was on his arm, letting his fingers drift over the mark as if mapping it. The symbol looked like a raven, like Reborn's other form, in the center of a shield that had some odd marking surrounding it but he could recognize the angel and demon wings on the opposite side. He didn't know how to make of it and eventually looked back up.

"Tsuna, I wouldn't hand myself over to you if I didn't trust you completely," The raven stepped closer and knocked the other lightly behind the head again. "I want to protect you so whenever you're in trouble, call for me and I'll show up."

The human peered down at the markings once more before nodding his head, smiling softly in happiness. He reached forward to pull back Reborn's sleeve to see the same one on the raven's right arm, but there was no bird in the shield, it was empty, and put their hands together. A small light seemed to glow from the markings, like it was showing its recognition. "I'll accept it. I…I don't want you to leave me. You were my first friend, the first person that ever accepted me for who I am, I don't really know how to thank you. You've always…always done things for me, the healing, the traveling, protecting me, I-"

A hand covered Tsuna's mouth, effectively cutting him off from the rest of his little speech. The smirk on Reborn's lips, however, told him he was satisfied with the answer. Pulling his hand away, he reached up to push a few bangs away so he could take a better look at those eyes. "Now then, let's do something to celebrate your newfound freedom and our contract together."

Suddenly, there were sparkles in Tsuna's eyes which made Reborn raise an eyebrow at. "Oh! I can cook up a feast! I couldn't make any desserts before, but I can now! I can make cookies, cake, and lots more! Oh, I should start on my artwork, too, I'm so far behind and have so many ideas I want to draw out and-" Another hand went over Tsuna's mouth, silencing him before he got too far. Reborn could feel a pout forming behind his hand, making him want to laugh as he watched those eyes turn into a glare, grumbling behind.

"If that's your definition of having fun, I'm going to have to correct that. I meant as in going out for dinner or to a park or something," Reborn complained, but when he saw those confused eyes staring at him, he sighed. He had almost forgotten, Tsuna didn't know about anything about having fun due to his family. Well, whatever, he'll just allow the brunet to do whatever he wanted. "You know what, do want you want. If you're baking that much food, I'm going to have to bring some back for the others, aren't I?"

Tsuna smiled at that, looking absolutely pleased.

"Since when did I become a carrier?" Reborn muttered to himself, but didn't find himself minding, Tsuna's cooking made up for that no doubt. "Whatever, go, run off and start on your delicious treats," As if those were the magic words, the brunet shot off, racing down the hallways to start cooking with a large grin on his face. He looked absolutely pleased at the decision. The raven chuckled before turning back to the confused expression the doctor was giving. "What?"

"I never knew you were an Assurer, you looked far too human."

"What of it?" When he got no response, Reborn huffed. "Look, you're not to tell anyone that Tsuna has a contract. I doubt he wants anyone to know just yet."

"Of course, patient confidentiality. I'm to uphold it regardless of my wishes, but at least this is something that's easier to keep silent on. Still, eventually, it's going to be revealed that Sawada has a contract."

"Then when we get there, I'll deal with it."

"But you know…" The doctor started, pausing for a moment, before continuing. "You two really do act like a couple."

"We're not." Reborn huffed, not wanting to go any further into that, and stepped out of the office. But he couldn't help but narrow his eyebrows in confusion, why did his heart seem to speed up at the thought of being together with the brunet? It didn't make sense. Shaking his head to push such thoughts away, he was satisfied at knowing that this will be the last time he would ever have to come back to this place. Closing the door, he began to make his way down the hallways, following Tsuna's direction, and pulled up his sleeve to reveal his tattoo to get a better look. Smiling at it, he made a light chuckle, knowing for a fact that he had made the right decision.

He looked up to continue making his way down the hallway, ignoring the stares he got from the other student, and wondered what Tsuna will be baking today.

* * *

"Are these cookies?" Skull asked as he picked one up with chocolate chips inside, he had just saw Reborn come in to toss a few packages down and alert that these were from Tsuna before disappearing into the darkness once more. He took a bite of the cookie and almost melted into the warm taste it held, licking his lips, before finishing off the rest of the cookie in delight. His eyes were sparkling and went to open more of the packages, revealing cake, other types of cookies, and many more treats. Immediately, he took one of each, making sure to try every single thing, and savored it.

Soon Fong came in from sensing Reborn's return and noticed Skull settled in the kitchen with lots of goodies before him. "What's all this?" He lifted up an oatmeal raisin cookie, examining it before taking a bite. "Oh! This is good."

"Isn't it!?" Skull grinned, snatching up another cookie with a wide childish grin. "Reborn brought them saying they were from Tsuna."

"Tsuna…" The fox picked up another cookie, this one with white chocolate and macadamia nuts within. He relaxed at the wonderful sweet taste, he could really get used to Tsuna's cooking, it was too good to give up.

It wasn't long before others began to slip in, even Verde, each questioning the amount of desserts before them, but eventually gave in to how delightful each one was. It was hard to resist such delicious food, even Lal who hated sweets surrendered over after one bite.

"Reborn should just kidnap Tsuna and keep him here, kora." Colonello mumbled, using a fork to pick up a piece of cake, the icing leaving a mark on the sides of his mouth before he licked it away.

It was a thought that everyone seemed to share. Maybe Tsuna should just come and stay with them…


	16. Chapter 16

"Hey, Reborn," Tsuna called out the moment he came back from class and stared at the other who was settled at the kitchen table, reading one of his textbooks. He never understood why the raven wanted to read those, but he didn't mind. "I'm going shopping today for more ingredients since I went a little wild yesterday with all the baking. Do you want to come with me?"

"Sure," The fedora-wearing man stood up, bending the top of the page for a bookmark, and straightened his clothes. Despite being contracted to Tsuna, their relationship never changed, though Reborn did noticed there was more closeness between them. The brunet was always eager to go anywhere with him even though it's only been twenty-four hours since the contract had been revealed. It was cute, he'd admit, and it never got annoying. Tsuna seemed to know when to back off and when he could come closer without any worries. Reborn smirked, heading over to the other, ready to go, and was dressed in his usual clothes. "To the market, right?"

Tsuna nodded at that, smiling softly. "Yeah and anywhere else you're curious about. We have plenty of time to spend."

"I've seen most of this city, doesn't seem all that different from Meraviglie. The only difference is the people," The raven hummed to himself, reflecting back the times he had interacted with the people of Earth. He didn't like any of them, they were nothing compared to Tsuna. "In my world, they're friendlier and more open. Everyone here is, in a sense, darker. And Earth is much too detached. It's like no one really cares about anyone else."

"We humans are mostly like that."

Reborn shook his head, knowing that the brunet before him wasn't like the other humans, and nudged the brunet out the door. "Come on, let's go."

As they left, it was pretty quiet down the hallways, entering the elevator with a light chatter even as they stepped out of the dorm building. Tsuna kept himself close to the other, smiling happily as he looked up at Reborn as they spoke, and then peered down every now and then to watch where he was going. The pathway to the front was empty of people, that was, until they came to the courtyard.

Immediately upon entering the area, the two couldn't help but attract attention from the professors and other students alike who were moving from and to the front entrance. In truth, this was probably one of the first times they had actually gone out together like this into the open. Even when visiting the doctor, there weren't any people around, leaving them alone in the hallways almost every time. Tsuna perked up at the whispers that seemed to blossom at their presence and shrunk at the stares, his fingers fidgeting in fear into his jeans. He never liked this much attention.

"Who's that with Dame-Tsuna? He sure is handsome."

"A bodyguard?"

"Must be. His family must have hired him. There's no way Dame-Tsuna could have gotten a pact, he looks too human to be an Assurer. I mean, it's been two years since he's came here. And did you hear about that incident from last month? The one where he got send into a fight? His family must have been furious."

Reborn twitched at that, turning to glare at those that dared whisper those words in his presence, quickly silencing them. He yanked Tsuna closer and wrapped an around the shoulder, keeping the other safe from the harsh words, especially when he recognized those boys from before that had caused Tsuna's injuries in the first place. He felt like firing a few bullets at them to release some pent up rage and to scare off these assholes that were looking.

"Sawada." A voice called out to the brunet, footsteps following from behind as clicks, telling him that the person was a woman in high-heels.

Tsuna paused to turn towards the speaker, questioning what a teacher would want with him. Most of the other professors just avoided him as if he was some sort of disease so it was unusual that one of them would actually call him out. Reborn stopped as well, moving his hands in his pockets, and tilted his head back to peer at the female professor with an eyebrow raised. His curly sideburns bounced slightly as he twisted his body, momentarily blinking as he took in the professor's appearance.

As the woman stopped before them, she folded her arms as she looked over the two before focusing on the older man beside Tsuna. She examined him up and down, blushing a little at the handsome features, before turning back to the student. "Sawada, who's this? A bodyguard, perhaps? But you know that visitors aren't allowed without a declaration and a badge. If he's someone sent by your family, you know the rules."

Tsuna flinched, not entirely sure on how to explain his situation without giving everything away. "Well…um…" The brunet stuttered, trying to find the right words to say.

Reborn next to him raised an eyebrow again and took a step forward to tilt his fedora to the side towards the direction of the sun. "Chaos, I'm Reborn. I wasn't send here by anyone and especially not by his ass of family."

The teacher blushed at the greeting, somewhat enjoying the attention from the Assurer. "R-Really? Then why are you here?"

"For Tsuna of course."

"Tsuna? Oh, Sawada Tsunayoshi," There was disbelief in the woman's voice. "Him, of all people? Really? You must be joking."

"It's not a joke," Reborn's voice dropped an octave, he was starting to get irritated at the woman now. "I'm here for Tsuna and Tsuna only."

"Ah, but why?" Not bothering with the upcoming answer, she turned to the brunet with disapproval. "Sawada, you know the rules of this facility. Only Assurers are allowed to be here. Other than that, any friends or family members need to be registered by the front desk and given an access badge to freely enter. From what I've been hearing from the other faculty members and the rumors of a man dressed in his description, he's been wandering around here for the past few weeks."

"Ah, about that-"

"No buts! You might be from the family that owns the school, but you need to follow the rules, too. If you don't, then neither will the other students. You need to set an example for them to follow."

"Wait! I'm try-"

"Now send your friend home. I don't want to hear about him being around here anymore or there will be consequences."

Reborn huffed, watching Tsuna's pathetic attempt to explain the truth of the matter but the professor kept butting in before he could. The brunet sighed but continued to try, wanting to get things settled and to prevent any more , he was given no chance.

"Sawada, did you not hear me? You need to send him home. Now."

"But, Professor, please let me explain. He's not-"

"Sawada!"

At this, the brunet flinched at the tone of the voice, jumping. He had never been yelled at before by a professor, at least, not like this. He took a step back, not sure on what to do now. There were some snickering from the student population, it was like they were glad Tsuna was being chewed out, and continued to watch with greedy eyes.

Reborn shifted his position a bit, his eyebrows now narrowed in frustration, and folded his arms across his chest. "You said that Assurers are allowed to be here, correct?"

The woman turned to him. "That's right."

"Then you should have no problem with this." Shiftily moving, Reborn yanked Tsuna's right arm up and pulled back the sleeve. There, the symbol of their bond surrounding the skin was revealed, earning some gasps from those who were nearby and eavesdropping on them. The professor stared in shock, reaching out to take the arm to check for herself, and let her hands run over the marking as if they would come off, but they didn't and remained there.

"You…have a pact?" She whispered in disbelief. The voices were up again, spreading across the campus like a wildfire.

Reborn smirked before pulling up his sleeve to reveal his own. "With me. That should clear things up, yes? Now shut up and leave us alone. You're an eyesore," Reaching over to grab Tsuna, he began tugging the brunet along, heading out the school gates well aware of the questioning looks that followed them. The younger man blinked in shock, not expecting their pact to be revealed like that - and within one day too - and peered up at the other. Reborn stared back. "What?"

"Why?"

"Because she was annoying."

Tsuna chuckled, knowing that that was purely a lie. It was kinda obvious, but he kept his mouth shut. He was happy regardless, despite his new situation, and kept walking on, ignoring the looks. He could immediately tell that no one had believed what had just happened and if they did, there would probably be some issues about it later on but for right now, he didn't care. "Do you want to hit a few other places on the way to the store?"

"I think the issue is, do you have enough money to pay for everything."

"I have plenty, too much even. And today, I don't mind going on a spending spree for you. Everything is my treat," Tsuna grinned, jogging down the street, and spun around to stare back at the raven. "So, if there is anything you'd like to try, let me know."

"If you say so." Reborn simply smirked, walking a little faster to keep up with the pace.

"By the way, you realize that our contract was revealed within one day of having it, right?"

The raven didn't response to that and instead smacked the back of Tsuna's head as if telling him to keep quiet.

* * *

Tsuna chuckled to himself, going over the events of today in his head after the incident at school. During their little shopping spree, he learned that quickly that Reborn wasn't interested at all in little trinkets, clothes or gadgets. No, he was more fascinated in the different foods, from red bean cakes to curries, and even some foreign cultural cuisines that had been brought over from another country. Tsuna didn't mind, if there was one thing he loved the most, it was food.

Currently, they were sitting in a café, watching the passing world through the large glass windows, settled in a small table that appeared comfortable. Tsuna cut his fork into his slice of strawberry cheesecake, immediately taking a bite and savoring the strong flavor on his tongue. It was heavenly, he decided.

Reborn, on the other hand, was nursing a cup of coffee, peering over the list of food on the menus, with his fedora on the table which revealed his spiky black hair that was normally tucked underneath. He ran a hand through them to flatten the locks out slightly before they defiantly sprang back up a few moments later. As the two sat in the table at the far right corner of the room, away from the door, it wasn't hard to notice the goggling eyes from other residents as they stared at the two, mainly on Reborn.

Tsuna noticed pretty fast and he knew the reason why, the raven was just too good-looking for his own good. "They're staring at you."

"So? Ignore them." The raven took another slip of his coffee and only glanced up from the menu when the waitress came by with a container of coffee. She looked a little hesitant as if embarrassed, but eventually got the dialogue out for a refill. Reborn simply lifted up the cup gently, his eyes never leaving the menu.

Tsuna smiled gently as he suddenly remembered something. "You know…"

"Hmm?"

"This reminds of the time when we first meet."

Reborn raised an eyebrow before getting what the brunet meant. "Ah, when I was complimenting myself about my looks?"

"Yep, about how vain you were." This deserved him a kick from the occupant across Tsuna, grinding his teeth together in an effort to stop himself from yelling. He reached down and rubbed the sore spot, pouting as he glared at Reborn. Turning his legs away and out of range, he picked at his dessert, trying to eat it while ignoring the looks from the entire woman population in the room. "Anyway, it seems like what you were saying is true."

"I'm glad you're finally seeing my greatness." Reborn chuckled, bringing the cup up close to his lips.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say."

"Excuse me."

The two males snapped their heads up away from each other and turned to the woman that was standing there, looking quite confident despite talking to someone she didn't know a thing about. Reborn and Tsuna glanced at each other before going back, both already knowing what the person wanted.

"I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me." The woman, blond in hair color, smiled slyly and flipped her golden locks in an effort of seducing the older man. Reborn raised an eyebrow at that and placed his cup back onto the saucer, knowing that they had the room's full attention. "Or perhaps a phone number for later?"

"I don't know if you haven't noticed, but I'm with someone." Reborn leaned back, unfolding his legs, and reached up to twirl a curl of his hair.

"Ah, him. Surely I can be more entertaining than a little boy. And I know you won't be around him forever," The woman smirked cunningly, her attention still on Reborn, and had yet to look at Tsuna the entire time. It was like she found him unworthy of her presence. "So what say you, darling?"

She was reaching over to touch the raven when the man suddenly snapped his eyes up for a glare. Freezing on the spot, the woman shivered at the dangerous and threatening stare, it was like a cold wind had sweep through with the way goosebumps appeared on her revealing skin. The aura around Reborn darkened and was almost suffocating to the rest of the occupants of the room while Tsuna sat there unaffected, used to such things. The brunet simply continued to eat, knowing the other could handle himself, and tried to finish up his meal in the meantime.

"Didn't you hear me?" Reborn sneered, releasing his curl, and let it sprung up. "I'm with someone, go bother someone else."

Tsuna sighed, he should have seen this coming, and pushed his plate away, done with his cheesecake. Licking his lips, he realized he was thirsty after eating all that and had forgotten to order some water. His eyes peered to the waitress, who looked absolutely terrified about what was going on, and didn't seem to be coming close by anytime soon. Wiggling his nose, he shifted his gaze across the table and smiled to himself. It wouldn't hurt, would it? And Reborn was distracted it is.

"Aw, don't play hard to get. But I do like a man that doesn't make things easy." The woman gained that confidence back and tried flirting once more, stepping closer to see if she could touch the man.

"Look, I'm warning you. Get any closer and I won't hesitate to use force to get rid of you," Reborn's aura was deepening and he knew that, at this rate, he was going to have his darkness powers slip through by accident from his emotions. "So leave me alone and go bother someone else."

It looked like she finally got the message and huffed angrily, stomping out the building, and disappeared into the streets. The atmosphere seemed to calm down immediately, peace coming back into the café. Reborn grumbled under his breath and turned around to go for his coffee to calm his mood…only to see that his cup was no longer there. Instead, it was with Tsuna, who seemed to be enjoying it happily.

"Tsuna." Reborn huffed, twitching.

The brunet just smiled lazily. "Sorry, was thirsty. And you get free refills anyway. No harm done."

The raven stared for a moment longer before kicking Tsuna's chair furiously. "Don't go around stealing _my_ coffee."

"Hey!" Pouting depressingly, Tsuna leaned over to hand the remaining amount back. "No need to get angry. I can always make you one of my espressos when we get back home."

"You better," Reborn huffed, taking the cup and sipped on the rest of the drink contentedly, his anger disappearing at the promise of his favorite drink. He placed the empty cup onto the saucer and watched as Tsuna tossed a couple of bills onto the table. "Come on, let's head to the next place. I want to try some sushi."

"Alright." Tsuna smiled, following the raven behind, and peered over at the rest of the people in the room, who were watching the older man step out with greedy eyes. He shrugged his shoulders, wondering if there was something wrong with their brains.

As he left the café, he realized something really important. 'Did I just have an indirect kiss with Reborn?'


	17. Chapter 17

Tsuna quivered in his desk, well aware of the stares that were peering at him in question and wonder. Class was just about to start and he knew what was going to happen next. It was the beginning of the week, a time when people had to get up and introduce any new contracts they had made during that time. Everyone loved to do it just to show off their new allies, to show that they were now more powerful, almost to brag.

However, Tsuna didn't like it. No, he didn't want to go up and tell everyone about Reborn.

"Hey," The brunet snapped his head up at that voice and glanced around towards his classmate, recognizing her as Hana. He hadn't seen or heard from her for a while actually, since normally she would be fighting back against the teacher verbally during class. She had the tendency to not take 'bullshit' from anyone and never hesitated to voice her opinion, especially if it was about something that was completely wrong. The brown-haired female sat down at the desk beside Tsuna, looking him straight in the eye, before trailing up and down his form as if searching for something. "You should try suing the school."

The brunet blinked. "H-Huh?"

"I heard while I was in another class that you were pitted into a fight without a contract. That's not allowed. You should sue the school for what they've done," Hana huffed, arms folded against her chest, glaring. But Tsuna knew better, that glare wasn't meant for him, but for everyone else. "It's their fault anyway."

Tsuna smiled softly at that, chuckling. "It's alright. I'm okay, see?" He waved his supposed to be broken arm around freely without any trouble, no pain, no nothing. "I got some help in recovering."

Hana continued to stare. "So then the other rumor is true then."

"Rumor?"

"That you have a contract."

Tsuna flinched at that, looking a little embarrassed, and whispered so that only they could hear, ignoring the rest of the class that were still trying to filter into the room. "Y-Yeah, I have one. His name is Reborn, he's really nice to me."

"Reborn…" The brunette raised a hand to rub underneath her chin as if deep in thought. "Well it's good to hear that he's actually taking care of you. I take it he's the one in a black suit with a fedora, walking around the campus, seducing the student population with his good looks, and appearing far too human to be true?" At the panicky expression on Tsuna, the woman smirked. "Unlike the monkeys that don't have a brain around here, I can actually think. It's not hard to connect the dots once you have the information needed. He's been staying with you too, hasn't he?"

Tsuna blinked and then laughed nervously. "W-Wow, you've got everything figured out already."

"Told you, I have a brain in-between my ears, unlike the monkeys around here," Hana went back to looking over the brunet's body like she was double-checking something. "Do you still need any healing?"

"Healing? No, I'm fine."

"Good, if you do, let me know. I'll call Kyoko to help you." The female huffed, leaning over to position herself better on the table. She gave a bored expression, like she was uninterested in the rest of the world, and placed an arm onto the desktop to prop her chin. More students came in, chattering among each other happily, ignoring and avoiding the two in the center.

"T-Thanks, that's really kind of you," The Capturer gave a weak smile, looking a little nervous yet happy that he was actually talking to a classmate that didn't want to harm him. "Hey, Hana, can I ask you a question?" Tsuna whispered as he leaned over towards the female. "I've been wondering about this for a while, but you know the attributes, how many are there?"

"You're joking, right?" Hana raised an eyebrow at that in disbelief. "How could you not know? It's one of the most basic of things we've learned at the beginning."

The brunet blushed at that, clearly embarrassed, but continued to nudge the other forward for the details. He had been curious for a while now and he had wanted to ask Reborn about it, but always seemed to forget. "I know some, but not all."

"Okay, look, there are ten elements in total, they are: fire, wind, earth, water, lightning, ice, light, darkness, hell, and heaven. And each one has an individual color to it like the light will have a yellow color," Hana grumbled, arms folded over her chest in slight irritation. She never did like explaining the basics to anyone, but when she saw that hopeful look on Tsuna, she went along. Damn, that face. "There are other colors as well, here's the list of them." She opened a book and everything listed about the elements was there.

Tsuna quickly read over the section, eyes examining the pictures and everything. Apparently, the listing went like this:

"Fire – Red, Wind – Lime Green, Earth – Brown, Water - Blue, Lightning – Forest Green, Ice - Indigo, Light - Yellow, Darkness - Black, Hell - Purple, and Heaven – Orange."

"The rare ones that generally belong in the upper class levels are Heaven, Hell, and Darkness elements. No one knows much on the Heaven element since it's almost non-existent, but I've heard rumors from Kyoko that there are only about ten to fifteen people left. The Hell attribute is something people don't like to mess with, it's a dangerous element from what I've heard. Supposedly, they're known for attacking their owners back despite being in a contract and are quite ruthless in battle. And darkness is a very mysterious element, not much is known expect for what people believe or make-believe," Hana sighed, wanting to rub her forehead as she placed the book down. "The rest of the elements are better known to an extent."

Tsuna hummed to himself, looking over everything carefully. He narrowed his eyes slightly at the Heaven element color, orange, he remembered seeing that color, but where? He wiggled his nose, trying to think back. Maybe it was from one of Giotto's Assurers. Now that he thought about it, didn't Giotto's Assurers each have different elements? He would need to remember to ask him whenever he had to visit the main house in the future.

As the bell rang, Hana got up to head back to her desk, settling down comfortably as the rest of the class did the same. Just as Tsuna managed to sigh, the professor stepped into the room, looking quite angry at something and slammed her books against the table, hearing it rattle at her strength. Tsuna along with many others jumped at the sound and he swallowed thickly in uneasiness. The other students did the same, peering at each other inquisitively, trying to figure out what could have cause their teacher to be so angry.

"Alright class, it's the beginning of the week. As you know, all those that have formed new contracts will get up to the front at the start of class, however, we'll need to change that around for today," There was some muttering among the class at that and the teacher just went along to continue before someone dared question why. "We have some transfer students that will be joining our class. Can you come in and introduce yourselves?"

The teacher motioned to the door, watching as it opened to reveal two men, both looking in their early twenties. The first one had a rough look on him with bright green eyes contrasting the shoulder-length silver hair that framed around the head just right. He had a scowl on his expression and wasn't dressed completely in uniform, wearing an odd number of chains and bracelets here and there. The silver-haired man made a 'tch' sound under his breath and glared at the teacher for a moment before looking over the class in disinterest.

The second male was the complete opposite compared to the other. This one had a cheerful flashing grin, a friendly looking expression that made people want to come up and talk to him, and had short black hair. The eyes were a dark brown and seemed to be just as bright as his smile and he was dressed in uniform like everyone else, though his undershirt was slightly tucked out. His arms were behind his head and his body was swinging side to side as if everything and anything could make him happy.

The silver-haired one made a sneer, earning some gasps from the female population who enjoyed the bad-boy look. "Name's Gokudera Hayato."

"And I'm Yamamoto Takeshi, I hope to get along with everyone."

Questions were immediately sprung forward from everyone, their interest solely on the two newcomers. Tsuna, however, simply kept to himself and looked a little confused as he examined them further. Those two seemed to be familiar to him in appearance and personality, but where? He rubbed the bottom of his chin and then shrugged his shoulders in defeat.

So far, from all the questions that had been blurted out, people were able to learn that the two males were from Italy and had been transferred over along with a couple of others to learn about becoming Capturers. Other than their hobbies and personal things, they seemed to refrain from announcing anything about their background, which only Tsuna and Hana seemed to note of, the latter taking no hesitation to announce that. Soon after, the two new students went to settle in their seats, though the brunet noticed that they seemed to spare a glance at him momentarily as if they were purposefully searching him out among the group. Tsuna didn't get why and turned back to the front where the professor was lecturing, wanting nothing more than to head back to his room.

"Alright, now that that is done and over with, will those with new contracts come to the front?"

Almost immediately, about three students eagerly stood up and ran to the front, the fourth one was Hana and she looked like she obviously didn't want to be here at all. Tsuna didn't, he was hoping to hide in his spot forever and never let anyone know about his contract with Reborn. However, he wasn't able to get away, the professor spotted him and glared.

"Sawada, that means you as well."

All eyes turned to him immediately, all in shock, and the whispers broke out once more. Tsuna couldn't pinpoint a single voice since all of it was mixed up together and he wanted to shrink further into his seat, but he relentlessly got up and headed to the front.

"Well, it's about time. I mean, it took him two years to finally gain one pact."

"Maybe his Assurer is really weak."

"Must be. Dame-Tsuna is really weak after all."

Tsuna sighed and turned to the rest of the class, shifting back towards the board. He heard as the other Capturers called their Assurers into the room, most all monster-like. Hana seemed hesitant at calling her own, but eventually gave into the requests of the professor.

A woman appeared within the circle, smoke puffing into the area, and she had short brown hair tied up into a ponytail and large brown eyes. She turned around to give a grin towards Hana, putting up a peace-sign. "Hana, you finally called me!"

"Didn't have a choice, had to follow the stupid school rules."

"Hahi! Aww, and here I thought I could be useful to you. Kyoko and Haru will do our best!"

Hana gave a smile towards the girl. "I know you will."

Tsuna was the last one left and everyone had returned to their seat, staring at him in wonder. The brunet cowered once more, squeaking and shivering in fear. Slowly, he pulled up his right sleeve to reveal his contract tattoo and stared at it in question. This symbol represented his pact with Reborn, he told himself. 'Should I call him for something like this? But he might be busy…Do I really want to disturb him?'

Silence came and the class continued to wait for the brunet to act, but as time passed, Tsuna remained the same. So when nothing happened, the students began to chatter among each other and soon it occurred to them that Tsuna most likely didn't have a contract. They chuckled, agreeing with each, and soon turned to call out the brunet teasingly. Tsuna let out a squeak at the sudden accusations and touched his mark unconsciously, not noticing it glow for a moment.

"Looks like it was a lie after all, Dame-Tsuna has no contract!" Laughter broke out in the class, all of them agreeing immediately.

Hana glared at the idiocy, knowing that that wasn't true, that pact was there, Tsuna just wasn't calling out to him. 'Well, considering this is his first one, he might not have learned how to call out to his Assurer.' She hummed to herself, about to get up to give the brunet a helping hand when the door suddenly slammed open.

Tsuna let out a startled scream and twisted towards the person that would dare open it like that during class. He blinked as he took in the person at the door and tilted his head curiously. There, Reborn stood looking completely normal and as if nothing was wrong.

"Reborn?" Tsuna stared in surprise, taking a step forward. "How did you…? I didn't call you though."

"Didn't need to be called. I could feel your emotions flowing to me. I swear, you're such an idiot, just call me if you need me to show up. As if I have something better to do. At least you can give me some sort of entertainment," Reborn huffed and hit Tsuna over the head. "Idiot."

"S-Sorry," Tsuna peered up towards the raven curiously, giving a small smile, before turning his attention back to his classmates. He looked nervous, squirming in his spot. "W-Well, this is Reborn, my Assurer."

The raven peered over the group, glaring slightly at everyone, and then smirked when he saw them shivering under his gaze, getting a few squeals from some of the braver girls. He tilted his fedora to the side. "Chaos."

Then there was some chattering soon after, many talking about Reborn's good looks, others about how human the Assurer appeared. However, one classmate decided to break through by slamming his hands down onto the desk and jumping up from his seat. Tsuna blinked at the sound and examined the male closely, knowing he had seen him before. As he looked over the rage-filled eyes, it was then that it connected. This student was the one of the bullies that had tormented him by sending his Assurers after him right before he had met Reborn, he was the reason why they had come together in the first place. "Hey! You're that one that killed one of my Assurers!"

Tsuna's eyes widened at that, a single thought going through his head, 'Oh no!'

Reborn huffed, his dark eyes turned to the student with a glare. "And you're the one that attacked him and by the way, I killed your little buddy before I made a contract with Tsuna here so you can't get him in trouble. I held every right to kill your Assurer since I was simply trying to protect Tsuna."

"Shut up! Come, Vital!" The student ran around the desk, his symbol glowing brightly and a green smoke appeared with a cat-like creature growling with its white teeth rising upward in a toothy grin. The beast was large with its claws clicking the ground as if taunting its supposed prey. Tsuna recognized the dark green color of the symbols for the lightning attribute and took a step back to lean against the board. The tail flicked back and forth and when it roared, sparks of lightning flashed around the fur.

The professor was yelling at the student, telling him that he wasn't allowed to fight, but her voice went ignored and the other classmates in the room scattered to the sides and back, not wanting to get involved. Reborn snorted at the sight, it was a low class Assurer, not worth much effort, but pulled Tsuna directly behind him just in case. He rose up his right arm, his weapon materializing into his hand, and cocked it up against his fedora. His curls bounced at his movement and then the raven just smirked.

The two Assurers remained still, Reborn's eyes trained on the enemy, watching the movements carefully, and fired the moment the creature leaped. And then there was a scream.

Tsuna watched as the cat creature collapsed to the ground, paling as he noticed a huge chunk of it missing at the side, blood spewing down from the wound. The enemy Capturer made a shriek, falling to the floor as well, and glared at the two angrily after making a forced withdrawal with his Assurer. Things fell apart soon after as people tried to get medical attention for the student while others stared at Reborn and Tsuna in wonder. The raven let his weapon vanish in a mist of darkness and turned to Tsuna, grabbing the brunet's arm before dragging him out the room.

"Was that necessary?" Tsuna asked, keeping himself close to the other.

Reborn just chuckled and reached over to pull the brunet further against him. "Yes, it was necessary. Now no one will try and harm you anymore unless they want to face me first."

Tsuna blushed, shrinking down at the familiar touch. He stared at Reborn for a moment and smiled. "Really? Thanks. Still, you don't really need to go that far, but thank you anyway," The brunet reached over and tugged at the yellow tie Reborn was wearing for the day. "Since I'm apparently skipping class, what would you like for lunch today?"

"Pancakes."

"Pancakes?" Tsuna tilted his head at that. "Reborn, lunch, not breakfast."

"Still want pancakes."

"Seriously, Reborn? Alright then, whatever you say."


	18. Chapter 18

"Reborn?" Tsuna peered down at the raven, worry obvious on his features as he took in Reborn's odd appearance. The older man was leaning over the table, clutching his forehead, and seemed to be sweating lightly. His breathing was ragged and deep and his normally dark eyes were slightly glazed. There was a slight cough here and there and each time it occurred, the paleness on the raven's expression seemed to grow. Tsuna had first noticed the appearance late last night and had ignored it, thinking that it was nothing more than Reborn acting up. But now it was morning and to them both, it seemed to have gotten worse, much worse. Slowly, the brunet approached the other, maneuvering around the table to get a better look, and observed immediately that the raven hadn't detected his appearance at his side or words like normal. "Reborn?"

At his name being repeated, the older man finally looked up and coughed a few times, trying to catch his breath in-between. That went on for a minute before the breathing finally evened out, but Tsuna could easily hear the wheezes Reborn was making. If he didn't know better, it was like the raven was having an asthma attack by the sounds of it.

"You look terrible, Reborn," Tsuna reached over to place his right hand on Reborn's forehead, brushing the falling bangs that were slightly wet from sweat, and then placed his left on his own head. Reborn didn't react to the touch, it was like he was barely conscious of his surroundings, and seemed to be leaning forward towards the Capturer. That was another cause of concern for the brunet and as he concentrated to feel for the temperature, he blinked in surprise. "You're running a fever, too, a high one, by the feeling of it. Come on, get to bed. You need to rest."

He went around, trying to lift up the unusually quiet raven from the chair, and managed to do so without any resistance. The stance was a bit wobbly and Reborn was leaning over to the younger man for support, his head buried into Tsuna's soft hair.

"I'm fine. I should…head back home." Reborn muttered under his breath, trying to resist the movements, but, with his deterring strength, could barely budge away. He could feel his legs beginning to wobble underneath him and he blinked to try and focus his attention. And yet, he was drifting away from reality.

Tsuna shook his head defiantly and pulled harder to get the raven moving. "No, you're staying right here. You're in no condition to go wandering around, much less go flying." They entered the bedroom easily and Tsuna used a little bit of force to get Reborn to lie down on his bed. Immediately, he took off the fedora, placing it on the nightstand then started at the jacket and yellow shirt.

Oddly, Reborn was quiet the entire time, not poking any fun or teasing him endlessly at the thought of stripping him down. But to Tsuna, it meant things were pretty bad if Reborn wasn't acting his usual self. It was like the raven was in his own world and had long closed his eyes to sleep. With some to little struggling, the brunet got Reborn down to his pants and pulled the covers up to the chin, tucking the older man in carefully. He made sure to get the sides so that the raven would have to struggle a little to get out, he didn't want to take any chances.

Tsuna took a moment to eye his handiwork before moving back into the kitchen, letting the water at the sink run until it turned hot, and grabbed a medium-sized bowl to fill it up. He made his way around, getting a bottle of medication for fever, a glass of water, some towels, and made his way back. Immediately, he got to work on his Assurer and placed everything within hand's reach on the nightstand. He dipped the towel into the bowl, soaking it, squeezed the cloth to get rid of the excess water, and folded it up neatly to place on the burning forehead.

Reborn made a sound at the touch, rolling his head, and fluttered open his eyes for a moment before closing once more. Whatever sickness he had, it had finally taken over to the point where the raven had literally passed out upon touching the pillow. His black spiky hair was shattered around him and some were soaked through from sweat, more obvious now compared to before.

'He must have really pushed himself to keep himself awake.' Tsuna sighed, nudging Reborn gently to get him to stir awake. The Meraviglian needed to take some medication first and with a harder shove, the raven managed to open his eyes, peering up at Tsuna curiously with a glazed look. "Here, roll over. I have some medication you can take. It should help reduce your fever."

With some shaky movement, Reborn managed to take the pill and swallow some water before collapsing back down in defeat, drifting off once more within seconds. Tsuna sighed, glad that at least the medication was in the Meraviglian's system, and hoped it would work quickly. He stood up when he'd finished re-tucking Reborn back in and closed the curtains in his bedroom, keeping the room dark for the raven to sleep peacefully in.

'I wonder if Earth's medication works the same as Meraviglie's?' Tsuna thought to himself as he peered down at the fever reducer and sighed. 'It might be best to get some of Reborn's friends here to watch over him. They might know this sickness better than me and maybe be able to handle him.' Deciding that that might be the best course of action, Tsuna looked back at Reborn, knowing he was completely out from the rest of the world, and hoped he wouldn't get angry with what he was about to do. He made sure to write a quick message just in case the other woke up before he came back, giving a short lie of 'going to the store', and placed it within range on the bed. Nodding to himself in approval, he grabbed his phone, the coordinates to the house, and some other things before heading towards the closest Cremil in the school.

* * *

Tsuna realized quickly that no one really locked the door to the shared household often. Though he remembered seeing Reborn taking out keys for it the first time he had come here, it seemed that every time else afterwards, it was just left unlocked without much care. It was funny considering how society was back on Earth, but he couldn't think much on it at this time, he had to hurry. If Reborn got up before he came back, the brunet sighed at the thought of what could happen. Entering the house, he immediately made his way down the corridors towards the kitchen and living room. But there was no one. No sounds either. 'Is no one home? What terrible luck…'

He wandered around the first floor some more, looking through all the rooms he could get to, and finally came to a back room he hadn't noticed before whenever he had come over. Slowly, he opened the door to peek inside, his curiosity getting the better of him, and blinked immediately at who was inside. 'Is that Fong?' And he is. The Chinese-looking man was dressed only in his white pants, his shoes and robe off, and seemed to be moving and angling his body in different directions. It looked like martial arts by the way the hands moved with the legs corresponding as well just right, Fong appeared like he was in some sort of trance. Tsuna felt mesmerized as he watched, wanting nothing more than to draw what he was seeing. It was so interesting, so mesmerizing, but he shook his head. He had more important and concerning things to do.

Carefully, he knocked on the door, opening it wider to draw Fong's attention. The fox perked up slightly at his visitor, stopping his movement, and went into a standing posture with his arms at his side. Once he figured out who was at the door, he smiled brilliantly and went forward to greet the human. "Oh, Tsuna! You're back! I didn't feel you arrive."

"Sorry, was in a hurry." Tsuna returned the gesture and blinked when Fong turned to the side to look from his clothes, his eyes trailing to the dragon tattoo on the left shoulder that wrapped around the arm. It wasn't something he had expected from the fox, especially considering who the man was as his other form, but it was fitting. Without meaning to, he blushed slightly as he realized he was getting a good look of Fong's chest, and forced his eyes to remain towards the ground so that he wouldn't be caught staring.

"Well, you don't look like you came to visit, is something wrong? And where's Reborn? He's normally with you." Fong moved around to grab his long red robe, pulling it on top of him to cover his entire body, and made sure to smooth out the wrinkles. His long hair flipped back, swinging side to side until he settled behind.

"Ah, that's the reason I'm here. I need some help. Reborn's sick," Tsuna stated, noticing the quick snap in Fong's attention. That friendly smile was gone and instead there was a crease on the forehead as if he was confused yet serious. "He tried to leave earlier by wanting to fly out, but he's really in no condition. I managed to get him to fall asleep on my bed, but I don't know how long that will last."

"Reborn's sick?" The fox narrowed his eyebrows at that and then nodded his head. "Alright, I understand, I'll come right away. Let me get some medication from the house. It might be better to use ours than yours on Earth."

"That's what I figured as well. I gave Reborn some fever reducer, but I don't know if it'll work." Tsuna followed Fong as the man walked by, heading towards the front of the building to the kitchen. Cabinets were opened immediately and medication was placed into a bag for easy carrying, left on the table for easy access. The brunet listed out the symptoms he had noticed, Fong listened intently and grabbed a few other things to add into the bag.

"Whoa, what's going on, kora?" Colonello had just stepped into the kitchen, his bright blue eyes staring questionably at the scene. He then noticed Tsuna at the side and gave a grin, waving his hand. "Hey, you're back. Thanks for the desserts that time, they were really good, kora."

Tsuna blinked and gave a smile. "Thanks," He peered back at Fong, who had stepped at his side, muttering that he had everything, and then rotated to Colonello. "Sorry, I would love to talk more, but I'm in a hurry."

The blonde looked between the two worried expressions with an eyebrow raised before letting the situation settle into his mind. "What happened, kora?"

"Reborn fell sick and he's acting up so I'm going to head over and check up on him, maybe stay over if necessary," Fong answered, writing out a message onto a piece of paper, and stuck it onto the refrigerator. "Colonello, would you like to come with us?"

"Yeah, sure, no problem, kora," The blonde nodded, heading towards the door with the other two, knowing fully well that the note was for the rest of the household. He peered down at the fidgeting Tsuna and chuckled, reaching over the rub those soft locks. "Don't worry so much, this is Reborn we're talking about. A little bug isn't going to kill him, kora."

"I know but I'm still worried," Tsuna pouted, slumping down slightly as he was pushed pass the door of the house. And it was then that he noticed something. "Hey, how are we supposed to go back?

The two Meraviglians looked at each other and then nodded. "Let's sneak in through one of the Cremils you have. It'll be easier for us to head to your place that way since we don't know where it is."

* * *

Tsuna sighed, sneaking in had been incredibly easy, too easy he figured. The engineers and professors who normally surrounded the portals for surveillance were distracted at the moment by a rampaging student, leaving the group of three easy accesses to Earth. Luckily for him, the two Assurers weren't exactly loud when it comes to sneaking around and they maneuvered around the students, slipping passed the crowd until they reached his dorm room. They had been fortunate that a Cremil had been close by, within a ten-minute walk in the other world.

The brunet sighed, he had been certain that they would get caught sooner or later on their way back, but no one was really paying any attention to them. However, that worked out just fine for him and he opened the door, letting everyone in, but not before telling them to ignore the graffiti on the outside of the room. Colonello looked like he wanted to say something against it when Tsuna just shook his head, silencing the matter quickly.

"This is my dorm room, make yourselves at home. Reborn should still, hopefully, be in my room sleeping." Tsuna tossed his shoes off and made his way towards the back, peeking into his bedroom to check up on things.

He sighed in relief, Reborn was still there, fast asleep and stepped in closer to get a better look. The others were right behind, a little surprised that the raven hadn't woke up at all from their appearance, and stared at each other for a moment. If Reborn was so far gone that he wasn't paying any attention to the world around him, he must be seriously ill. The brunet sat down on the bed and reached over to run a hand through the sweat-soaked hair softly, pulling the covers up closer to the chin that had moved while he had been gone. At his touch, Reborn seemed to stir from his slumber and fluttered his eyes open slightly to peer up at the brunet. "Reborn?"

"Damn, I feel terrible," The raven muttered under his breath, sighing softly, before looking around the room. It was dark and his eyes adjusted easily into the darkness before noticing there were two more people in the room compared to before. It took him a while to recognize who they were and when he did, he growled. "Why the hell is Fong and Colonello here? And when?"

Tsuna blinked curiously, had Reborn not realized how long it's been? "Reborn, you've been out for a few hours. I got Fong and Colonello since I wasn't sure on how to care for you. My medication might not work on you." He reached over to grab the towel, re-dipping it into the now-cold bowl, and wrung the rag tightly. Right before he placed the towel back on, his cold fingers went on the forehead to check the temperature. The crease in the brows alerted everyone that it was still high and the towel was placed back on.

Reborn didn't resist, liking the coolness since it felt good compared to the burning sensation all over him. "Don't you have class today?" Despite being sick, he was able to speak clearly though it had a raspy sound mixed in.

"I'm skipping."

Reborn was now glaring and was about to say something against that when he broke out into a coughing fit. Immediately, Fong was at his side, rubbing the back as the raven tried to catch his breath, whispering words of comfort in an effort to calm the other down. He tried to use a spell or two to see if it would have any effects.

"Reborn, I can't leave you like this." Tsuna muttered, pouring a glass of water, bringing it over for the older man to take. The raven glared weakly, but drank regardless, thankful for the water. The coolness of it felt great against his throat and he sighed in relief, glad that the fit was now over and collapsed back onto the bed.

"Hate being sick…" Reborn grumbled into the pillow, cursing everything he knew that could have caused him this.

Fong just smiled softly in amusement, knowing it was rare for Reborn to look so weak. He reached around to grab the medication in his bag, handing it over, watching as the other took it without any hesitation. "Well, I'll be staying around to help you and Tsuna. Colonello, do you want to stay or head back?"

"I'll stay, I now have an excuse to come over here, kora." The blonde, knowing he couldn't help Reborn, exited the bedroom, and settled onto the couch in the living room, looking around the place with curiosity. He eyed a few things here and there, especially the paintings and artworks that seemed to be scattered on the walls. They were the most interesting part of the room and stood up to get a better look, examining everything thoroughly.

A few moments later, Tsuna and Fong stepped out the bedroom, both sighing heavily. Reborn had finally threatened them to get out, violently so. But they could do that, it meant that the raven was going to get some desperately needed rest for recovery.

"Hey, Tsuna," The brunet perked up at his name, placing the bowl of water onto the kitchen counter, and glanced at Colonello questionably. "Who's the artist to these, kora?"

Fong followed the outstretched hand and blinked, looking over the pointed out artworks that were hanging on the walls. He found himself attracted to them compared to the rest of the room, never drifting away. Stepping closer, he sought out for a better look.

"Ah, those…" The brunet blushed slightly and scratched the side of his face. "I painted those."

The two men peered back curiously, both surprised. "You did?" When they got a nod from the brunet, Fong hummed to himself happily. "It's nice. I like it." Tsuna treaded away for a moment while the two continued to look at the pictures, inspecting them carefully, and came back with one of his newer sketchbooks. The previous one had been almost completely filled with drawings and handed it over to Reborn for keeping since most of them were about him. The new book contained more of the group seeing as he had been hanging around them more often than not. Hesitatingly, he handed it over, letting them look through the numerous pages within.

Their faces at the sight of seeing themselves drawn out on paper made Tsuna want nothing more than to snatch the book away. It wasn't because he was scared of what they were thinking, but because he wanted to draw their expressions. He found them hilarious and his fingers twitched, trying to contain himself. Oh, he would just have to work on them later.


	19. Chapter 19

Tsuna smiled happily to himself despite having Reborn feeling so sick in the other room. He had been upset about it in the beginning, but slowly he moved away, knowing the raven would just scold him for worrying so much. Not only that, the other reason for his happiness was having two more occupants in his dorm room, people he could interact with freely without any hesitation and wouldn't judge him at all. Cooking more food for the new occupants in his room just made things better and he was able to cook more of a variety for their growing hungers. However, for Reborn, he would specifically make chicken broth with soft flat noodles for him to eat and swallow easily, hoping that the raven wouldn't throw it up later in the day. So far, he had been lucky.

However, the temperature hadn't gone down all that much, remaining just as high as before. He had wanted to call a doctor, but Fong had simply waved his hand, stating that the virus would pass soon. Reborn just needed time to recover. With that, Tsuna felt a little better, reassured that his first friend would be alright, and helped keep the raven's body cool with wet rags. He would sometimes help him get up for a cold bath and while Reborn was in there, he could gather clean clothes and sheets to sleep in.

Fong sighed from behind as he watched Tsuna cook breakfast, peering at him carefully with a slight waver of concern flashing in his onyx-colored eyes. Last night had been somewhat eventful, he hadn't expected such a thing to occur - so soon too. Watching for any signs of what happened; he couldn't help but be concerned for Tsuna's mentality and noted that he would need to question Reborn about it whenever the brunet went out for class along with some other things that were starting to pile up.

In the little dorm, there were two other rooms in this place, he had questioned, well, Colonello had, out loud on why Reborn took residence in Tsuna's bed when there were others. The answer had been a gunshot from the raven, silencing them both, and Tsuna simply shrugged his shoulders as if not sure either. It was even more surprising that Reborn had slept on the couch instead of the spare bedrooms, which they both knew they wouldn't be getting an answer for either.

Still, while he and Colonello were sleeping in the spare bedrooms, Tsuna had willingly slept on the couch so that he could help or get to Reborn easily. However, during the middle of the night…

* * *

Fong squirmed in his bed sheets with the covers wrapped tightly around his frame and narrowed his eyebrows together in confusion. Something kept prodding the back of his mind, forcing him to open his eyes in the middle of the night. He blinked curiously into the darkness of the room, figuring out that it was late, or well, early if he read the time on the clock right, and was going to close his eyes again to drift off back into dreamland when he suddenly heard some shuffling outside the door.

Raising an eyebrow up curiously, he wondered who would be up at this time of night and slowly sat up, swinging his feet over the side of the bed to investigate. He could feel Colonello's and Reborn's presences in their respectful bedrooms so that only leave…Tsuna. But it was late. Why would he be up of all times? 'This is odd.'

Not bothering with dressing up in his normal clothes, he stepped outside with only his white pants and peered down the hallway, seeing a light coming from the kitchen. Going further in, he took in the appearance of the brunet that was seemingly rumbling through the cabinets, but he saw it, a noticeable shake in those hands. Fong narrowed his eyes at that, watching as those fingers tried to grip onto the handle of a mug only to miss, and then there was the pale complexion that made him remember that night he had slept together with Tsuna and Reborn. The Capturer had the same appearance from before, though, not as bad, it was still there.

"Tsuna?" He finally called out, watching as the other flinch at his voice, and snapped around in surprise. Fong blinked in concern, those honey-colored orbs were full of fear and were showing just how exhausted they were. He stepped closer slowly, trying not to startle the brunet any further and reached out tenderly to pat that soft brown hair. He had hoped that from his light touch that it would help calm the other down. "Are you alright?"

At first, Tsuna didn't reply and after a few moments, he finally nodded his head. "Y-Yeah…Just a nightmare."

'Nightmare?' Fong thought to himself, tilting his head at that, and smiled softly. "I see. But it's just a nightmare, it won't come true, you know?"

That seemed to make the brunet relax a little, but the fear in those shaking shoulders didn't stop. "Y-Yeah, it's just…a nightmare."

The fox almost sighed and leaned down to wrap his arms around the brunet, pulling him in closely for a comforting hug. He rubbed the back gently, his fingers running up and down the spinal cord in an effort of trying to calm the other down further. "Now, now, tell me, what was it about? It sometimes helps if you tell someone about it."

"Snakes. Giant snakes. They were attacking me." Tsuna muttered under his breath, adjusting into the grasp happily, taking in Fong's tea-like scent, and laid his head against the shoulder. Fong hummed to himself, continuing his movements and ran a hand up into those soft locks, finding them wonderful to thread through.

"I see, then perhaps you would like to stay with me tonight? I take it that you would normally have Reborn for this, but if you don't mind, you're welcome to stay with me." The fox gave a tender and reassuring smile and patted the head again, looking into those scared eyes. He watched as they slowly brightened up at the thought of staying with someone and slowly, Fong took Tsuna with him towards his bedroom, turning off the lights along the way.

* * *

It had taken a while for the brunet to finally close his eyes to get some sleep and it had taken so long that Fong had finally resorted to transforming. His fox form easily cuddled against Tsuna, curling around the small frame, and his fur made the brunet chuckle in amusement. Those sly hands petted him and he had felt Tsuna burying his face into his soft fur to take a deep breath before finally relaxing. His long tails slid over the human like a blanket and when Tsuna had fallen asleep, Fong transformed back. He immediately tucked the Capturer in and reached over to run his fingers through that soft hair, staring down at the other worriedly. The only passing thought that whispered through his mind was that this couldn't be normal, could it?

'Still…snakes? Just what could he be dreaming about?' Fong turned around, heading back to Colonello, who bore the same look. He had told the other earlier in the morning when everything had settled down and the blonde, too, was left confused. They had wanted to question Reborn if this was normal, but the raven refused to be conscious long enough to say something or listen.

"Those two are hiding something…" Colonello muttered under his breath, sipping on some coffee Tsuna had recently brewed for him. "Especially Reborn, kora."

"I know what you mean." Fong sighed, settling on the other side of the couch, looking frustrated at being out of the loop. It wasn't pleasant. The two looked up when Tsuna rounded the corner, holding some snacks he had just finished making. They looked like some sort of biscuit with some chocolate on top.

"Hey, can I ask you guys something before I check on Reborn?" The brunet spoke up, looking at the two on the couch curiously. He had been wondering about this for a while and wanted some answers, but he wasn't sure if he should ask Reborn or not. It seemed like a tender subject and hesitated for a while, wondering if he really had the right to intrude. When he got a nod from the two Assurers, Tsuna continued. "Who is this Luce?" At that, they paused, looking a little hesitant and the brunet replied immediately, rapidly shaking his hands before him. "Ah, if you feel uncomfortable talking about her, that's fine."

"No, no, that's not it," Fong rapidly shook his hands before sighing. "Luce was the reason why we all got together in the first place. It was a long time ago though. She was a human being like yourself and she managed to make a contract with each and every one of us. With that contract, we all ended up staying together in that same house that she had been staying in for the past few years. She had moved there because she wanted to be someplace new. But later on, she ended up falling in love with a human back on Earth since she had to visit her family back on Earth every now and then and eventually got married." Fong smiled lightly as if remembering something fond. "She wanted to live there with her husband, which we all understood. You can't exactly stay in a house on another planet with seven other men without one's husband getting jealous and not only that, she got pregnant so Earth was safer than there with how chaotic it got at times. Let's just say we had earned ourselves a name during that time with her and constantly got into fights with other people. Anyway, since we were still contracted to her, we remained in the house so that when she came to visit, it would be easier for her to come over. We all liked her very much, many of us viewed her as family even with the binding. It was only when she passed away that the contract became void."

"Then you're still together because?"

"We got used to it, after being around each other for over a hundred-something years, it's hard to move somewhere else, kora." Colonello spoke up, waving his hand like it was nothing.

Fong chuckled at that, raising a hand up to cover his lips. "And though everyone might say otherwise, we're all friends and very close to each other."

Tsuna chuckled at that, watching as the blonde turned around to argue with that.

* * *

Reborn felt completely exhausted, he had never felt this weaken before, or perhaps was it in a very long time? It didn't matter. He hated feeling weak, it left him open and vulnerable to his enemies and the worst part was the nightmares that came with it. No, they weren't nightmares, they were memories that enjoyed coming back to taunt him, to haunt him about his past.

He grunted, he felt hot and tired and everything in his body hurt. He could hear voices coming from the other side of the bedroom wall, of Fong and Colonello, and there was a smaller one that he recognized as Tsuna. He didn't understand what they were saying, everything so muffled, but regardless, he couldn't help but smile lightly at the mentioning of the brunet.

"Monster!"

"You're nothing more than a monster!"

"Go away, freak!"

Suddenly, Reborn found himself standing in a black atmosphere and glanced down at his hands, looking at how bright red they were and then back up at the corpses surrounding him. Fear ran through his eyes at that, at the death and destruction around him, and then it vanished. He had almost forgotten. It might have been a long time since he had heard those words, but he didn't forget the hatred he felt deep within him, burning brilliantly in the chaos it wanted to create.

After all, people can't say terrible things about him if they're dead, correct? Reborn laughed, those words stopped when he killed. That's right! If they died, no one would ever call him a monster. He laughed and laughed, the silence, his vengeance, it all felt so good, so wonderful. The voices were gone. There is no one around to call him a monster. No one!

"My, that's such a mess you made…" A woman's voice broke through and he turned around to face a human female. She stood there with a smile, soft and understanding, and stepped forward without any fear. Her long black hair was tied neatly into a ponytail that flew behind her and her white sundress fell down to her feet. The color contrast with the black and red all around, but she stood there among the death without batting an eyelash. A strange mushroom-shaped hat rested comfortably on her head, somehow managing to remain on despite her movements, and she strode pass him to get a better look at the bodies. She seemed to sigh at the sight before her as if disappointed and raised a hand up against her cheek. "You shouldn't kill so unnecessarily."

"It's their fault. They shouldn't have said such stupid things," Reborn simply argued back without a care, hands inside his pocket. There were black feathers all around him, dyed in the blood, with the essence of thick darkness fluttering up from them. "I don't enjoy all that bullshit they like to sprout. Let them suffer for daring to say it in my presence."

"Now, now, Reborn, that's not very nice. Everyone deserves a chance to live as they want to. And anyway, they don't really know you. Let them say what they want, you know better than anyone else that it isn't true," The woman continued to talk, humming to herself as she continued to examine the bodies. She would reach over to make them look more comfortable, in peace, and would shut their eyes. "I'm sure you're not a monster."

'How can you say that when you've never seen the other form?' Reborn thought to himself almost sadly and closed his eyes, letting his body transform. He watched as the woman turned around ever so slowly and took a single look at his dark form.

And screamed.

* * *

"Reborn!"

The raven snapped his eyes open, jumping awake instantly, and in his daze, he turned to look at a form in the darkness. There was a light behind, coming from a hallway, and because of it, he couldn't make anything out but the blackness of the figure reaching out towards him.

_"Monster!"_

" _You're a monster!"_

Reborn's eyes widened and he snapped himself away from those hands, scooting to the far side of the bed. He didn't like this, hands reaching out towards him like that always meant terrible things…right? "Stay away!"

The figure seemed to tilt his head almost like he was confused and continued to move closer, those fingers still reaching out. Reborn panicked, he didn't know why, but he did. He wanted to move, to leave, but his body felt so heavy, so weak. His breathing was already ragged and his vision was beginning to get dizzy. There was a loud painful throbbing in his mind and he almost grimaced at it. "I'm a monster so leave me alone."

At that, the figure paused and the raven almost sighed in relief at seeing the person finally stop when suddenly the blob jumped forward. A pair of arms wrapped around him tightly, pulling him closer to the stranger's body, and refused to let go as the face of the person buried into his right shoulder. Reborn struggled, trying to break away, but couldn't and that body's grasp tightened against him, refusing to budge. Was this person attacking him? Because he was a monster? Was that it?

"You're not a monster," A weak voice, small and timid, spoke amongst his wild, crazed mind. The raven paused. What…How…Reborn soon felt a warm breath tickling over his skin and there were fingers gripping into his back, rubbing carefully into his spinal cord in a comforting manner. "You're not a monster." There it was again, it were those words he had wanted to hear for so long. It was acceptance, of acknowledgement of his true self. The blackness began to shift – transform - into a recognizable person and that familiar brown hair was brushing up against his cheeks, the scent of the brunet making him relax further into the grasp.

"Tsuna…"

At his name, the younger male lifted up his head and smiled softly, glad that Reborn was now breaking out of his probably fever-induced delusion. He shifted closer to that he could get a better grasp and looked straight into those black eyes. "Reborn, you're not a monster. You're someone I actually admire. You're brave, smart, cool, handsome, and you know how to do everything correctly," Tsuna blushed lightly, nudging closer to that warmth Reborn's body held, ignoring the half-dressed state the raven was in. "And that other form of yours is so wonderful. I like it. Don't ever think otherwise."

" _I don't know why you look like that, but it's kinda neat."_

Without knowing why, Reborn felt his cheeks heating up at the comment and gave a sincere smile, returning the grasp. His arms pulled Tsuna closer to him and looked directly at the face, their eyes gazing into each other as if they were in some sort of trance. Neither of them moved, too engulfed, before Reborn finally decided to make the move. He leaned his head up and pressed their lips together.


	20. Chapter 20

_Without knowing why, Reborn felt his cheeks heating up at the comment and gave a sincere smile, returning the grasp. His arms pulled Tsuna closer to him and looked directly at the face, their eyes gazing into each other as if they were in some sort of trance. Neither of them moved, too engulfed, before Reborn finally decided to make the move. He leaned his head up and pressed their lips together._

Tsuna was in shock, his eyes wide in disbelief of what was occurring right before him. He could feel those soft lips pressed desperately against his own and his brain began to shut down at the touch. How was he supposed to react in such a situation anyway? And this was his first kiss, too! The brunet felt his cheeks burning at the thought, too stunned to do anything but let everything occur.

It was just a simple kiss, small and short. A brush of skins and then it was gone. Tsuna blinked as Reborn vanished before his sight and stared ahead in question before finally getting his brain to wake up to figure out what was going on. Peering down, he stared at the unconscious Assurer who had finally succumbed to his sickness and collapsed on the bed. The brunet stared for a little longer, his face still bright red, and then smacked his cheeks. The sound of his hands hitting flesh seemed to echo within the dark room, the light outside still flooding in from behind. He couldn't think of anything but what had just transpired and he knew better than to go any further into it. He couldn't!

He didn't just have a kiss with Reborn… _of all people_! It wasn't possible…And yet, the slight burning sensation of those lips that had been once pressed against his own was still there and that rich coffee scent was continuously flooding his nostrils, almost suffocating. Tsuna felt his cheeks heating up again and shook his head to throw his thoughts around to prevent them from stabilizing. There was no way Reborn had kissed him and yet…and yet… Tsuna slapped his face again to stop himself. Slowly, after a few moments of trying to settle his mind down, he decided that it was nothing more than an accident. Yeah…that's right. It was an accident, nothing else.

Reborn hadn't meant to kiss him, he had been under a delusion from his fever already. It wasn't farfetched that the raven had thought of him as someone else. Yeah, that was the best answer. It was almost the only one that made sense.

Tsuna sighed when he decided on those thoughts, relief entering and leaving him, and lifted himself up off the bed to make Reborn more comfortable. He did, however, spend some time looking over those tone muscles that had been revealed from the fallen covers. Shaking his head, he continued his work and helped the other sleep peacefully before dashing out the room.

Oh god, he just hoped that Reborn didn't remember anything about the kiss and wrote it off as a dream.

* * *

Fong blinked as he just noticed the answering machine blinking a bright red number. He stared at it curiously, wondering what it could be about, before slowly standing up from the couch to investigate. There seemed to be three new messages, but that was odd. He never heard the phone ring whenever he was around, no, he had never heard it and he knew that for a fact. Perhaps the ringtone had been turned off? That could be the only possible answer for all of this.

Leaning down, he pressed the button to listen to the message, hoping Tsuna wouldn't mind him intruding. Luckily for him, the brunet had already gone off for class and Reborn was asleep so no one would mind, right? Colonello raised an eyebrow as he heard the answering machine go off, rotating his head slightly to listen and see better. "You have three new messages. New message: You little brat! Answer your damn phone, I know you're there. If you've forgotten who this is or maybe you've finally killed yourself, this is your father. Such a worthless piece of shit, I better hear back from you soon or else I'll be going over there for a talk. Perhaps the last message I gave wasn't enough to get through that dumbass material you call a brain."

Fong flinched with his eyes wide in disbelief, his hand hovering over the message button in shock while Colonello shared the same expression. The exact same thought passed their minds. What had they just heard? Was that really Tsuna's father? But that didn't sound right. Who would really say such a thing to their own son? How terrible. How twisted. How…

They were snapped out of their stupor when a door slammed opened, the bedroom door exactly, and Reborn came storming out furiously. His face was twisted in rage and he instantaneously moved forward, despite being sick, and grabbed the answering machine before it could spring its next message. He yanked the power cord, silencing the machine, and turned to glare at his companions. There was a silence within the group, the two at the side unsure on what was going to happen. It had been a long time since they had ever seen Reborn this enraged and knew that they at risk of being attacked. Finally, the raven spoke, "Don't _ever_ play those messages again _especially_ around Tsuna. You're lucky he went to class today."

"R-Reborn…" Fong stuttered, he didn't know how to make of this. Those messages were not something a kind person like Tsuna should be hearing, much less receiving. So he had been right, the two are hiding a few things from them. Shaking his head, he decided to push those thoughts temporarily out of his mind and instead rushed over to prevent the raven from wobbling to the side. Though, he couldn't help but look at the machine and then at Reborn in concern. Colonello got to the other side, helping hold Reborn to keep him from collapsing to the floor. The two friends were staring, watching, and finally the fox spoke, "You're hiding something from us about Tsuna, aren't you."

It wasn't a question, but a statement, it was obvious by the way the other reacted to that one simple message. There was a 'tch' from the Assurer and Reborn pulled himself away, heading back to bed, but Fong didn't give up. The fox followed behind, watching as the other got back into bed, before coming closer to settle on the side. Colonello wasn't too far away, getting onto Reborn's other side to prevent any escape.

There was a sort silence among the group and the raven sighed. He knew it was probably time to let someone know the truth, "He's being abused by his family."

The two other Assurers jumped at that, both clearly surprised both by the message and by someone else. They had honestly expected to have to wiggle their way into getting Reborn to talk but the seriousness of that one phase made them pause. Fong was the first to talk. "Abused?"

"You heard that message, right? That's his father, the main person that caused this whole mess. Tsuna has been physically, verbally, and mentally abused by his family since he was young. So far, it doesn't look like it'd escalated to sexually, but I don't know how long that might last," Reborn sighed, placing an arm over his forehead in frustration. He would have laughed at the faces his friends had if the situation wasn't so grave. "His older brother, Dino, is alright, but the rest must never make contact with Tsuna."

"I…didn't know Tsuna was in such a situation. I knew he was being bullied and believed that with you hovering around him," Fong almost smirked at the glare he received. "That would be the end of it."

"Hey, man, you should have let us known sooner," Colonello huffed, folding his arms. "We would have helped, kora."

"This isn't something that needs to be well-known. I've managed to contain the situation by messing with the machines and devices around the place and answering the door. There was one time a man, who looked like a hired guard, tried to come into the room, demanding that his father wanted to see him. When I heard it, I grabbed Tsuna and jumped out the window before he knew what was going on and placed it under the disguise of getting breakfast," The raven sneered, pulling the blankets up closer to his body and turned away from the door where the light was coming from. That made him face Colonello, but he didn't care at this moment. "Tsuna is probably realizing what I've been doing, but he won't voice it. He's probably glad to get away from his family for a while."

Fong sighed, turning his body slightly, and placed his hands onto his lap. His eyes were closed as if thinking and took a deep breath, trying to relax, before responding. "I see. Then I hope you don't mind me lending a hand. Tsuna is a good person, very pure and accepting of us. He doesn't even know who we are exactly and doesn't seem to care either. I'm certain that if all of us continue interacting with him, he'll surely become precious to us. I know he's already earned a place in your heart, Reborn, you can't hide it from me," The fox chuckled in amusement when he heard Reborn growl at him and leaned over to tap the right arm underneath the covers. "After all, you gave him the seal of approval."

Colonello blinked and then blinked again. He didn't get it. What were the other two talking about? "Seal of approval?" It was soon after that he realized that the so called 'seal' could mean only one thing."Wait, you made a contract with Tsuna? Seriously? When, kora?"

"I almost didn't see it, but when Reborn came out, he forgot to cover his arm," Fong smiled happily, nudging the raven at the back, before turning a little more serious. A memory of the past seemed to flash before his eyes and he sighed. After all, he had been around when he had seen the response when Luce had… "Reborn…did he…accept you?"

There was a snort of the raven and Reborn shifted a little in the blankets. "Yeah, he accepted me and my other form, unlike Luce."

"That's…wonderful to hear. I'm happy for you." The fox chuckled softly, bringing up a hand to his lips. "Really happy."

Reborn didn't reply to that, closing his eyes to foreign sleep, but the occupants knew better. Still, he was indeed happy that he had been accepted for once, it was…nice. Almost smiling, he drifted off, not caring that the others were in the room with him.

As for that kiss…the raven mentally grumbled, it was probably best to never mention it ever again. It had been a mistake. Nothing more than his fever acting up…right?


	21. Chapter 21

Tsuna didn't know what to do, he had class tomorrow and they were heading to the other world to do a real time battle. Normally, he wouldn't have to do such things since he didn't have an Assurer but now he did, the professors fully expected him to join. But how was he supposed to join when Reborn was still sick? That was the big question and at the same time, how was he supposed to break it to the teachers without them getting all angry at him? That was going to be a toughie, he knew. They didn't even like him in the first place either.

He didn't know what to do. He didn't want to go alone into that battle field either. That would be terrible…if not dangerous too. He felt like he needed to get help to get himself out of this situation and so he had briefly mentioned it to Fong, hoping the fox would have an answer. But even Fong knew that Reborn shouldn't be getting up soon for obvious reasons. Colonello, however, had other ideas when he had eavesdropped on the conversation and came right up to the brunet with a wide grin.

"Would I work, kora?"

Tsuna blinked, pausing his petting on Fong's fur, enjoying the softness underneath his fingers. The fox had transformed into his beast form and had settled on top of the brunet's lap, cuddling happily like nothing was wrong. He hadn't really wanted to be placed into this situation but after a few pettings and the warm sun that was shining right on the said lap, Fong had given in immediately, lying comfortably across Tsuna with the rest of his body over the couch. His tails twitched now and then when Tsuna went for his ears, rubbing them just right to make him whimper.

When Tsuna had stopped, it took a few seconds for Fong to realize what had happened and easily show his disappointment by unconsciously sinking his ears. He peered up and nudged the tip of his snout into Tsuna's hand, trying to get him to continue but failed. The brunt had his full attention on the blond before him. "Huh?"

Colonello placed his hands onto his hips, still grinning, as he looked down at the two. "I mean I can substitute as Reborn. It shouldn't matter, right?"

"W-Well, I don't know about that. I mean, you're not really contracted to me so wouldn't it be obvious to everyone else?" Tsuna seemed hesitate at the idea, it just sounded like something could go wrong. It was pretty easy for such things to occur too especially considering his luck.

"It should be fine, I won't let myself get caught. If I'm with you and you say that I'm your Assurer, people shouldn't really ask, kora."

Fong decided to intercept seeing as Tsuna was going to protest again and gave a warm comforting smile though it looked odd in his monster form. "I think it sounds alright. Tsuna, please take Colonello with you."

Seeing as there were two people up against him, he sighed reluctantly and then nodded his head in agreement. "Alright then, I'll do it."

Once the statement was passed, Fong rolled, nudging his face into Tsuna's lap, with his tails wrapping around one of pillows. Using his extra appendage, he tossed the item into the brunet, trying to draw his attention to him once more. Tsuna stared down in confusion before smiling, continuing his petting and even reached over to grab a comb to make more of an effort. Fong let out a content sigh, feeling his fur getting stroke just the way he liked it, and closed his eyes, completely in heaven.

Colonello could only stare from his position on the other side, an eyebrow raised in curiosity. "You, Fong are one sly evil creature."

"Why thank you."

* * *

"Oh? Sawada, who is this?" One of the teachers spoke up upon seeing the blond beside him. There were various stares from other people around them, whispers breaking out like wildfire, and others commenting, even grumbling, about Tsuna. It was shocking for them to say the least. Tsuna had just gotten his first contract about a week ago and now he had another one? That was amazing.

"I'm Colonello! Just helping Tsuna out, kora." The blond raised his arms behind his head, leaning back slightly before taking another step forward. He didn't want to separate from Tsuna among the crowd as the brunet was already trying to sneak away from the gazes. It was uncomfortable.

"I see…" And that was the end of the conversation, the two following the other class into the portals to head to the other world.

Hana wasn't convinced that easily and strode over with her arms crossed. She raised an eyebrow at the pair and poked the brunet gently. "Hey."

"Oh, Hana." Tsuna gave a warm smile but it still held the nervousness from before and nodded his head in respect. "What are you doing here? I thought that this was a training battle."

"It is but we healers and supporting type Capturers need to remain close by for emergencies. And it's also a training for the newcomers as well. It's to let them see how real battles look like." The brunette huffed, not looking happy about the situation, and pushed a loose strand of hair back. "I mean, seriously, this is a total waste of time. I have better things to do then to just wait around for someone to get injured."

The male just smiled at that, somewhat understanding her position. He looked over at Colonello and then back at Hana, who seemed to be glaring analytically. "Ah, Hana, this is Colonello. He's actually one of Reborn's friends."

"Oh? What happened to this Reborn? Surely he would be here instead of this blond." Hana ignored the slight narrowing of those blue eyes, focusing on the student before her.

"Yes, well, he got sick so I guess Colonello is a substitute?" Tsuna scratched the side of his face, his voice laced with confusion. He didn't know what else to say about the other. "I doubt the teachers would believe me if I were to tell them that my Assurer is ill…"

The female didn't say anything to that, already knowing that that would be the case. There was like some sort of negativity against Sawada and it had already been there since the very beginning of his arrival into the school. No matter, she never did care for idiots. She looked around the area, observing the place that seemed to be some sort of open field, the best for a large battle, and peered towards the newcomers of the school. They were beginners and weren't used to how things occurred in the school so they were at a distance to be able to watch and at the same time, not get involved. The teachers didn't want any misfires.

A Capturer was standing around just in case though and had his Assurer out wondering about. She raised an eyebrow when she caught sight of a group of people that were huddling together. Hana recognized two of them as the two exchange students, Gokudera and Yamamoto, but there were a couple of others, probably the ones they had transferred with. They were glancing towards her and Tsuna's area and she made a momentary glare at them. It was odd that anyone's attention would be focused on their tiny group but she ignored it for now. As long as they didn't bother her, she didn't care and she could tell by the sight of Reborn and this Colonello, they were not people to mess with.

The teachers began to talk, speaking loudly for everyone to hear, trying to catch everyone's attention. Tsuna tried to listen but he eventually tuned it out, shrinking down as if wanting to hide from everyone.

"Come on, Tsuna, you can't wimp out so soon." The blond patted the brunet on the back, trying to cheer him up, and got a small smile in return. "We've just started. And don't worry about me at all, I know how to take care of myself just fine, kora!"

"O-Okay… If you say so, but please be careful." Tsuna nodded his head in agreement but still couldn't help but be worried for some odd reason. He narrowed his eyebrows and watched as the professors stepped out of the open area and into a cave that was hidden somewhat behind some trees. The surrounding area was covered in leaves in one way or another and only darkness could be seen in between the open spaces.

Hana eventually moved to the back with a couple of others while the rest remained where they were at, summoning up their Assurers for their battle. The teachers had explain that it was an open clash with a tribe of Meraviglians that had agreed to do the battle as long as no one was seriously wounded or killed. The reassurance of the healers had obvious tipped the favor over on both sides. What kind of Meraviglians were they? No one truly knew. It was mainly down so that everyone would have a fair playing field, after all, one didn't always get to choose their opponent to go against in real life.

Tsuna peered into the cave from his distance, watching as yellow eyes began to light up in that darkness and the teachers were walking out as if they were talking to someone. Soon they turned to the group, raised their hand up to alert everyone to prepare for battle, and the moment they brought it down, creatures began to pour out of the cave.

There were sudden cries of shock, others out of grossness. Snakes, lots and lots of snakes and they were all slithering out towards them with spears. Tsuna let out a loud screech and took a step back, trying to better examination of his enemy. The creatures were obvious snake-like in appearance but had an upper body of a human. The skin is green in color and the lower half that of a snake tail. Their hair was tied up in various fashions, some long, others short, and were even among the male and female population. Jewelry decorated their upper bodies, some using them as armor and other as fashion statements but it went all ignored as they threw some spears towards the direction of the students.

People began to scatter, Tsuna and Colonello heading off into one direction. The blond sneered, materializing a gun that looked almost like a rifle into one hand, and fired. The spears that had been heading towards their area exploded and splintered in mid-air, leaving them free from the sky attacks but not so much from below.

"Damn, these are Melislitters." The blond yelled out, taking grasp of Tsuna's hand to gain some additional distance. He looked behind to see the snake-like creatures already striking down some of the other students and Assurers. Nothing was fatal however luckily. "They are a battle-loving tribe and have poison barbs in their tails. They are known as mid middle-level class Meraviglians, kora."

"Eh?" Tsuna blinked as he was dragged away and then was spun around with Colonello in front of him. He felt the ground rumble for a moment, almost like an earthquake, and tried to balance his feet out. He almost didn't notice a Melislitter sneaking up on him until the blond turned around, spinning his gun around, and slammed the hilt into the stomach. At that moment, the brunet was able to get a better look of the snake-like Meraviglians, noticing the special design on their bodies. The brown color symbolized earth element, that would probably explain the sudden earthquake.

Colonello fired off a few bullets, watching as they exploded in the surrounding area, making sure to hold back to not accidently kill anyone. Some of the enemy backed off, knowing that the blond was far too powerful than he seemed while others began to gather at the thought of a strong opponent. Half the students had already fallen unconscious, many of them being dragged away by the healers to be repaired while others were still trying to keep going. Yells and screams echoed around and people on both sides were running back and forth.

"Man, you guys sure know how to do a battle, kora." Colonello grinned as he kicked one far away, sending it flying a few feet in distance.

"I've never been in one before, I've always been on the side or skipping!" Tsuna yelled out as he was pulled back by his partner when a spear came towards him. The sharp end managed to nick him barely on the arm and it drew some blood, but it wasn't concerning. He looked up at Colonello, offering his thanks before turning back to the field. Many on both sides had fallen and the healers were obviously working overtime. Some were even healing up the Melislitters but that was probably as per agreement.

The blond just laughed, obviously having a blast. "This is great! I should join in more often, kora!" He waved his hand and released a large wave of water towards the Melislitters, shoving all of them back in a giant splash.

"Don't tell me you're one of those battle-loving maniacs!"

"Hey! I am not, kora!"

"Are you sure about that?!"

"Yes, kora!" Colonello just grinned at the frightful expression Tsuna bore and pulled him closer as another spear came towards the younger male. He sent off another wave of water magic, drenching the enemies that came too close. As he looked over the snake-like creatures, he suddenly grinned.

Tsuna, having seen it, could only shiver. He could tell already that the other was up to something and, as they ran further away to gain some more distance, he watched as a blue smoke began to engulf the blond. His eyes widened in realization as Colonello began to transform, and soon a gust of wing sprang out within that smoke, forcing Tsuna to cover his eyes. Slowly, as he reopened them, the brunet found himself staring at the other, looking in wonder. "C-Colonello?"

"Yo, Tsuna!" A giant bird, much like Reborn, but this one was much different. The appearance was that of an eagle but golden in color compared to the white feathers, and its large wings were spread out to reveal more of its massive form. Colonello was hovering over the ground, flapping his wings repeatedly, until he dropped down onto the ground. The sharp claws dug into the dirt, tearing the ground apart and uprooting the grass, and those sharp eyes, blue in color, turned to Tsuna. The regular symbols were there over his body, blue in color to show his attribute. His beak was slightly curved at the end, pointed to show that he could use it to tear apart something.

There was a sense of awe that leveled the battleground and some paused to stare on both sides. Tsuna looked up at the giant bird, twice his size, and blinked as his hair was ruffled from the force of the wings. He repeated his same response from before, "Colonello?"

"That's me! Now get on!" That made the brunet blink again, trying to process what the other had meant. Colonello chuckled at the confusion and leaned down to help the brunet on before immediately taking off into the skies. He sped off in such speed that he was circling the field with ease and was so high up above everyone's attack range. Tsuna clung to the neck, his arms just barely getting around, and screamed loudly when Colonello suddenly dived downward. The Melislitters dashed out of view, many running for cover. It was clear to everyone around that there was fear now in their eyes and Colonello was laughing as he came down, claws out and grabbed one of the snake-like creatures to toss it away. The digging of his talons wasn't deep and zoomed back up into the air.

Tsuna felt his grasp slip again and tried to tighten his hold on the feathers once more, hoping not to suddenly fly off. That didn't sound pleasant at all and the drop didn't look all that nice. Colonello, seeing the struggling the other was having, shrunk his size momentarily to allow a better grasp. The brunet blinked at that. "You can shrink?"

"Of course but only in the other form! It makes things easier like Fong's fox form is normally two to three times that size but he simply makes himself compact in order to get around the house easier." Colonello continued to fly around, knocking the Melislitters off balance, and would make a circle above in the sky to create a magic spell. Glowing lines appeared behind him, the words writing itself until it completed. Soon after, there was a large explosion and water came pouring down, flooding the entire area. Even the students that were within the surrounding spot were drenched but unaffected by the contents. However, the snakes, on the other hand, went spinning around in the massive wave. "Take that, kora!"

The brunet sighed, "You really are having too much fun…"

Soon after, when the battle was announced to be over, the two came flying down. Colonello transformed back into his humanoid form, landing onto his feet just fine, and stretched his arms outwards just in time to caught Tsuna. His grin was bright and massive, looking like a child that had gotten something he had really wanted, and let the human onto the ground with ease. He immediately flexed his arms, trying to get the feeling back into them, and stepped forward on the soaked ground.

Silence, everyone was simply staring even the teachers.

The blond didn't seem to deter from the gazes and patted Tsuna on the back. "Tsuna, next time you do one of these mission things, invite me! It was really fun, kora!"

"It'll most likely be Reborn though since you know." Tsuna shook his head, somewhat amused that the other was actually enjoying himself. "But I guess if there's a need for two Assurers or if Reborn doesn't want to do anything that day, you're more than welcome to come along."

"Great! This was actually a great workout too, kora."

"Only you would think so…"

One of the teachers decided to be brave and went forward, her heels sinking into the ground below. There was a flash of disgust on her expression at that. "Sawada, is this your second Assurer?"

Tsuna tilted his head at that and looked up at Colonello. "Um…yes?" It was more of a question but the teacher ignored it as she folded her arms.

She looked between the two and then nodded her head. It seemed like this woman wasn't going to be drifted off by the blond's good looks unlike everyone else. "I see, alright then. Your schedule will be changed around slightly due to this. You need to be taking classes to either strengthen your bond with your Assurers or classes to toughen your Assurers. As you know, the more you gather, the more classes you take. However, this will take you out of the underclass studies."

To everyone, it meant less bookwork and more hands-on, something everyone seemed to enjoy more. Tsuna simply nodded his head at that, though looked a little pale since it was clear to him that he only had _one_ Assurer, not two. The silence of the class was still there even as the teacher walked away, leaving the brunet to his thoughts. Hana came by and offered him some congratulations before heading off to finish her duties, seeing as many people were still injured on both sides. Even some of the Melislitters slithered by to nod their heads for a show of respect, impressed by the Capturer and the Assurer. No one was badly injured, just either wet or still dizzy from that last attack.

Tsuna was smiling lightly to himself however since changing classes meant he wouldn't have to deal with his bullies as often even when Reborn protected him. And that meant more time he could spend with the other too. So, all in all, it worked out perfectly for him. He peered up at Colonello for a moment and gave a warm smile before pointing off into the distance as if asking if they could go. The blond just shrugged his shoulders and followed along, not minding the fact that Tsuna wanted to go and explore the caverns the Melislitters had come out of. The brunet didn't mention his true intentions but he had wanted to see more of the clothes that the snake-like monsters wore, they looked so interesting and he definitely wanted to draw them out when he got home.

* * *

Tsuna, the moment he got back into the dorm, went straight for his sketchbook, drawing everything he could while he still remembered, and zoned pretty much everything else out. He even ignored Reborn's condition during those thirty minutes.

Fong had chuckled in amusement at the sight and peered up at Colonello with a respectful nod. "Welcome back. I hope that everything went well?"

"It did, no one really questioned my identity." The blond wandered into the kitchen and grabbed a glass for some water. He gulped it down soon after, letting out a little sigh in content. "It was actually quite interesting, kora!"

"Really?" The fox chuckled, nursing a cup of tea he had made earlier. "Do tell."

"It was like one of those missions we sometimes take up where we fight against a clan but no one is allowed to kill. So it's just a friendly match. With my skills, Tsuna and I were obviously the ones to wipe out the opponents, kora."

Fong took a long sip, "That's good to hear. So I take it that Tsuna wasn't injured?"

"Of course not!" Colonello huffed, watching as the brunet muttered some words about taking a shower, entering and locking the bathroom door behind. The mud from the water attack, when it had saturated the ground, had gotten onto the brunet's arms and legs by accident when he was been wandering around the cave. "But still, it was an interesting enemy I went up against. It was Melislitters, kora."

"Wait…" Immediately, the fox snapped his head up from his spot, marching over to Colonello in surprise. "Did you say Melislitters? Aren't those snake-like Meraviglians?"

The blond nodded his head at that, not sure on what the other was thinking.

The fox seemed to go silent at that, raising a hand up to his chin to think, before looking towards the bedroom where Reborn was at. Closing his eyes for a moment, he reopened them and made a motioning movement with his other hand, telling Colonello to follow him. He sent a momentary glance towards the bathroom where he could hear the shower going on, Tsuna cleaning himself up after today.

Still, the eagle questioned the sudden change in his friend, "What is it, kora?"

Fong didn't answer and stepped into the bedroom where Reborn was at, who was stirring at their intrusion. The raven rolled around in bed before looking towards them with drowsy eyes and blinked them a couple of times to wake himself up. His appearance was much better, improving each day that past, and there was more color to his skin, a major improvement compared to before. Once the blond stepped in, Fong closed the bedroom door behind and went close to the bed.

Reborn, sensing that something odd was going on, sat up in bed, tossing the cold rag off his forehead. "What is it?"

"Before I…jump to conclusions, Reborn, does Tsuna often have nightmares?" The fox asked, settling down on the side of the bed at the bottom, his expression stern. Colonello was at the top and had raised an eyebrow at the question. He hadn't know about that.

Regardless, the question seemed to make Reborn focus and he narrowed his eyes in return. "Tsuna had another nightmare?"

"So this is a common occurrence?"

"Yes, I normally have to calm him down afterwards. Why do you think I have all my stuff in here? It's not a regular every night thing but it happens once a week, twice the max. It came to the point that I just decided to sleep here with him."

Fong seemed to quiet down at that and peered at Reborn. "He had one last night, he was absolutely terrified. And kept mentioning about giant snakes attacking him."

That information didn't seem all that unusual until Reborn got a look at Colonello's face. That right there told him that something was going on. The blond answered to fill in the raven. "But wait…we just fought against Melislitters, that couldn't have…"

Reborn recognized the name, they were for a tribe of snake… He paused at that, finally getting what Fong had meant and stared. Humming to himself, he thought deeper on the nightmares that had occurred. Now that he thought about it, hadn't there been a nightmare right before when guard tried to break in that day? "Fong, I think you're onto something. Colonello, you saw the battlefield, yes? What would have happened if you hadn't been there to help him?"

At that, the blond narrowed his eyebrows at that, scratching his hair underneath the bandana. "Damn, it would have been bad. He could have been impaled or poisoned or…" He trailed off, his mind already processing what could have actually happened if he hadn't been there to save him. Though Melislitters were honorable Meraviglians, they wouldn't hesitate to attack against someone even when defenseless. The silence settled onto the group of three and they were looking into each other's eyes before nodding in agreement.

"We can't be one hundred percent certain, it could be nothing more than a coincidence. So whenever Tsuna has another nightmare, try to get as much information about it as possible, and let the rest of us know." Fong peered over the other two, perking up slightly when he heard the shower turning off and the doorknob unlocking. It was certain that there was something up with Tsuna that not even the brunet was aware of.

The bedroom door opened up and the human stepped in wearing only a loose pair of jeans and a towel draped over his still-wet hair. He had taken a shower in another room so that he wouldn't wake up Reborn but he would still need to come in for his change of clothes. Peering in, he paused momentarily as he looked over the group of three. "Oh! What are you all doing here?"

Reborn was the first to answer. "Idiot here was going over what happened today."

Tsuna tilted his head at that and smiled. "Oh, okay. I'll start dinner soon. I'm planning on making pineapple curry today with beef. Any requests on the sides?"

Fong smiled, looking like nothing had happened. "Any is good. I believe your cooking will be delicious either way."

"A-Ah…thanks." Blushing a little, the younger man rushed off to get changed, making sure to close the closet door behind him.

Reborn turned back to everyone with a slight glare, whispering, "No one tells him anything."


	22. Chapter 22

A few days later Reborn was back to normal, walking around and speaking like his usual grumpy, aloof self. Whatever sickness he had had disappeared. Once he felt well enough, he took a few flights outside to get some good stretches in his other form or would walk around the campus, though that was less often due to the various female stalkers that liked to follow him. Though the raven didn't mind the attention, it got annoying after a while. Regardless, the fact that Reborn was back to normal made Tsuna's days a little crazier, but that worked out just fine for him. He'd rather have it crazy with everyone around him than have no one at all.

Fong and Colonello had decided to stay longer despite Reborn's recovery, taking an interest of their surroundings and would often wander about Earth in their free time. They would come and go back to Meraviglie when they felt the need and before Tsuna realized it, the regular arrivals of the two joining him whenever possible in the day was common. He grew used to cooking more food and buying various groceries with either of the three, but was still able to keep his money budget within the set bounds of spending.

Still, with the false lie of Colonello being one of his Assurers, his schedule was changed to include what appears to be a bonding class between Capturers and Assurers. But it got rid of one of his book classes that he despised deeply, he was happy with that. Though he wasn't sure on what to do since he didn't know if Colonello would want to follow along with him and Tsuna didn't want to ask in fear of being denied. Reborn didn't seem to care however, taking an interest in how these classes would work, and seemed ready to go at any time.

As Tsuna got himself prepared for his new class, he looked at the raven with a smile. "Ready?"

"Who are you talking to? I should be saying that to you," The raven just smirked and tilted his fedora to the side to give that infamous shade over his eyes. This resulted with a pout on the brunet's lips and Tsuna wanted nothing more than to flip that hat over. Reborn then turned to the blonde with an incline of his head, taking a glance at the eagle that was settled on the couch. "What about you, Colonello? You following? Or staying here?"

Colonello rubbed his chin as if trying to think for a moment and peered at Fong, who was apparently slumbering away below a window. The transformed fox was all curled up underneath the warm sunlight, his fur glowing in the beam, and seemed too peaceful to disturbed. But for Colonello, that meant he would have nothing better to do until the two came back. Shrugging his shoulders, he decided that it might be more interesting to just go along. "Sure, why not, kora."

Tsuna nodded and peered back at Fong with a smile. "We'll be back soon, Fong. Make sure to change positions, alright?"

There was a huff from the fox, but to everyone, it meant that he had heard and immediately rolled over onto his side to stretch. The nine long tails were flailing everywhere, no longer curled around the body, and Fong stretched his neck to get into a more comfortable position. The eyes remained closed shut and with a soft rise and fall of the chest, Fong was heading deep into dreamland. Tsuna smiled softly at the action and made his way out the door, the other two men following along right behind. Keeping his hands on his new schedule, he slowly made his way off towards the direction, praying that the new class wouldn't be too bad and that he could perhaps gain some new friends or at least a new start.

However, when he arrived, that hope was completely blown away the second he got one look at everyone. Many of his classmates from other classes were mixed into this one, which made him feel like he was back in the previous class he had been exchanged out of originally. Despite most people knowing who he was, reintroducing himself was nerve-racking as always since he'd never enjoyed the detested stares he got in return. And just as he had expected with his reputation, no one wanted to talk to him and ostracized him from the group, but that worked with Tsuna just fine. That left him alone with the two men beside him, the two people that at least treated him like normal human being. And anyway, he'd rather talk to them than anyone else.

Within moments, they were shunned off to the side as the rest of the class gathered on the other, no one taking seats since they were considered too far away for anyone to get to. Though, the females of the group spared a few glances towards the Assurers' way, obviously ogling them. During the silence that settled between them, a few of the classmates had summoned up their partners, further crowding the room. It didn't take much for Tsuna to notice that almost all of the Assurers were monster-like in forms and not one had transformed like those beside him did. Not only that, he had been surprised that no one really questioned him about Colonello's transformation, considering the fact that only higher ups could do so. Still, if no one asked, he was fine with that.

"So what exactly is this class about, kora?"

Tsuna blinked and peered up at the blonde curiously. "Honestly, I'm not entirely sure. This is the first time I've ever been in one of these classes. But I think it's just a class to know your Assures better since their belief is that if you do, the better prepared you are for any situation. Something like knowing their weaknesses or if they aren't good against a certain element."

Reborn rubbed his chin, thinking on those words. "That would make sense. After all, one must know their Assurers' strengths and weakness so that the Capturer doesn't summon one into a battle that is at our disadvantage. Beside, the better the bond between the two, the better the compatibility."

"That's probably correct." The brunet smiled gently and then went quiet when the teacher suddenly walked into the room, strutting in as if he owned the place. It was a male this time and he lifted his glasses up higher on the bridge of his nose to look over everyone.

"Alright, class, we're going to do some simple exercises for today. Please call out at least one of your Assurers for this." The teacher called out among the group, looking over everyone carefully, and nodded in approval for those that already had their Assurers out and ready. Tsuna turned to the two Meraviglians beside him and gave a light smile, noticing that the two were talking among each other in whispers.

'If I remember correctly, those that are in upper class have two forms, right? I wish I could ask…' Tsuna almost wanted to sigh and flopped down into one of the chairs that were against the wall beside his friends.

Reborn tilted his head back to look towards the brunet and followed, leaning over slightly. "What?"

"N-Nothing."

"Class, I'm going to do a short roll call. Please say your name and how many Assurers you have summoned at this current point of time." As the teacher went through the names, Tsuna tilted his head back to peer at the window that was on the other side of the room in curiosity before sighing once again. He could see the brightly blue sky outside with a few puffy white clouds hanging around and wished for a moment that he could be out there in the air than down on earth where he was chained down. The brunet blinked as he thought that and shook his head to push those thoughts out of his mind. He knew he shouldn't be wishing such things when they wouldn't come true anytime soon, the chains that were holding him down were too tight to escape after all. Before he knew it, he had drifted off, leaning over onto the raven's shoulder, and stared drowsily at everyone, barely listening to anything. Soon, he closed his eyes and fell asleep, snuggling up against the other with an arm wrapped around Reborn's to use as leverage. The raven had caught notice of the action, but let it continue, not bothered by the weight on his side. Colonello silently chuckled off from the side, looking at the two in amusement, and tried to poke some fun at his rival, only to jump up from his seat to avoid getting shot. There was a momentary growl before the blonde went back to it. Time quickly passed and soon the teacher reached a certain name, "Sawada Tsunayoshi. Sawada?"

Reborn raised an eyebrow as he listened and peered down at the slumbering human on him. Resisting the urge to sigh at the sight before him, much less take the honor of shoving the other off, he decided to speak up for the brunet instead after giving a harsh stomp on Tsuna's foot. He ignored the pained squeak he was rewarded with. "Sawada is right here."

The teacher turned around to peer at the three, raising an eyebrow as the brunet only nudged closer towards the raven, despite the abuse, before turning around to finish his roll call. Colonello slipped around to settle on Tsuna's other side and grinned at the sight, poking the human at the cheek. He gave a small laugh when he saw the brunet squirming at his touch. Reborn, however, continued to nudge Tsuna harshly, but the Capturer refused to stir from his slumber, muttering some words underneath his breath that sounded suspiciously like recipes.

"Tsuna, wake up." The raven finally gave a harsh slap on the lap, effectively making the brunet jump up for his life as the sound echoed in the room. He almost let out a little scream in shock and managed to turn around to glare accusingly. "You fell asleep on me."

Pouting, Tsuna flopped back down to cross his arms and gave a huff, turning away from the raven angrily. Reborn just laughed at the sight, clearly amused, while Colonello shook his head at the interaction between the two. It was clear to the blonde that the other was having fun. It had been a long time since Reborn could freely tease someone like this. To Colonello, it appeared like Tsuna was slowly changing things around, for the better, and the blonde was glad for it.

"Alright class, it looks like everyone is here. Today, we're just going to do a simple scavenger hunt. It'll be quite time consuming, but you only need to find five items to pass for the day. Those that get four will get an eighty, three will earn a sixty, and so on. I have a list right here," He pointed to a stack of papers that was beside him that seemed quite large compared to a class that only had around thirty to fifty students. "Many of the leftover items will be used for another class. But it's possible that many of you will simply fail today. There are well over a hundred items and each one will have a riddle based on it. It will not be a simple search-and-find, you'll have to understand the riddle to know where to go and what you're looking for. Understand?"

There were some protests from the students, but many shut up soon after, not wanting to face the wrath of their professor. Many backed off instantly, but the Assurers were simply wandering about, waiting for their orders. It was obvious to some that they were clearly mindless, moving like they had little to no purpose but to exist, and it made the three in the back feel disgusted. Tsuna, because he didn't like it when people looked like they were mere brainless slaves while the two Meraviglians were thinking along the lines of worthlessness.

"If you manage to collect five or however many in the time allotted, come back here to get your grade. Not showing up results in a zero, no exceptions. Now move and get your papers, you don't have all day to laze around. I expect every one of you to work together with your Assurers." With that, the professor went off to the side and settled behind what looked like a desk. He pulled out a magazine and began to read, clearly using his newfound free time to relax and let the students suffer. Slowly, people began to move, grabbing the papers that held the riddles and groaned at the sight. There were so many.

Tsuna looked down at it in confusion, clearly not understanding what many of them meant, and handed it over to the other two men. "I don't get any of this. What about you?"

Reborn quickly peered over the words, looking over most of the list. Apparently, they were all placed into three columns. The first one contained many similar riddles, but from what he could guess, it was the building location. There were over eight separate areas and many more they could head to on this campus. The second column contained more of what looked like directions or room numbers and the final row was most likely the details of the specific item that needed to be grabbed.

"Hey, Reborn, look. This one means the west tower of the school," Colonello pointed out, tapping one of the riddles as he looked over Reborn's shoulder. "Tsuna, do you have a pen, kora?"

"Ah, yes," The brunet reached into his pocket and pulled out the item, handing it out. The blonde immediately wrote down the answers he could figure out, mainly in the first two columns, before Reborn took over and filled in the rest. Tsuna could only watch in amazement. "You guys are really good at this."

"That's because we're smarter than you and have lived quite a long time," Reborn huffed, writing down the rest of the answers. There were a few that caught him off guard and he stared at it for a little bit before handing it over to Colonello. "Come on, let's go."

Tsuna hummed to himself as they left the room, most of the students already gone. "If you don't mind me asking, how old are you guys?"

At that, Colonello turned around, giving a wide grin. "How old do you think we are, kora?"

"You look like you're in your mid to late twenties in physical appearance, but…well, you said something about Luce," Tsuna noticed that Reborn seemed to snap his head over for a moment, eyes narrowing slightly. The brunet almost wanted to jump at the stare until he saw it shift over to the blonde. "She…died of old age, right? And considering the fact that you most likely met her when she was around in her twenties to thirties and you were probably older than that, you're all over a hundred."

"That's some deduction you have there," Reborn smirked, "But I'm still not going to say my age."

Colonello chuckled in amusement, "Actually, I don't know most of our group's real age is. But some of us met earlier before Luce came along. The first time Reborn and I met was over six hundred years ago, kora. We didn't know each other really well back then though." At the widening of Tsuna's eyes, it was clear to guess that the numbers were higher than he originally thought.

"Colonello," The raven was tempted to take aim with his gun and wanted nothing more than to blast a hole through the idiot's head. "Shut up before you say something you shouldn't."

"Alright, alright, kora."

Tsuna could only sigh as he thought deeper on the conversation they had just went over. He still couldn't help but want to know exactly how much older they were compared to him. Still, he'd expected it; they were, after all, ageless. Would that mean that they would continue to remain the same in appearance while he aged and grow old?

* * *

"Not bad for your first day here, Sawada," The professor nodded as he noted down the information into his grade book. His eyes drifted over the five items the group had collected, being the first ten to have arrived with everything they need for a hundred. "I heard the rumors of you being…you know. Glad to see that isn't the case."

"Ah, that's because Reborn and Colonello helped me out. They're good at riddles." Tsuna smiled gently as he looked over the two before blanching when he found them arguing over something. He wasn't sure about what though since he had been paying attention to the professor. He just hoped they wouldn't start fighting…ah, wait, Reborn just kicked Colonello upside the head. The brunet laughed nervously as he bowed to the professor and shook his head, glad that his class was cut short by this whole exercise. He eyed the two as they slammed their heads together, glaring as they spoke about one thing after another. Tsuna tried to understand what was going on until he realized they were speaking in another language. 'Geez, they're like fighting addicts.'

Moving closer, he tried to separate the two before they pulled out their weapons or stared using magic. The brunet knew deep down things would get messy if they did.

"Colonello, Reborn, please don't fight." Tsuna whined, shoulders slumping downward as he watched the raven slam a fist into the blonde's face. He sighed as he watched Colonello went flying across the room and then get back up to return the gesture. "Never mind, I'm heading back to the dorm. Why is Fong the only one that acts decently?"

"Not really," Reborn commented from the side as he dodged more attacks and jumped back so that he could speak to the brunet easier. "You haven't seen his other sides. He's quite the cunning bastard."

"And you're not?"

Colonello laughed from behind. "He's got you there, Reborn, kora!"

The raven simply glared, turning his attention back to the blonde, well aware that Tsuna was walking out of the room.

* * *

Dino was grinning brightly to himself, he had finally managed to get some more free time off from work to visit his cute little brother. Oh, he had missed him and wanted to see how the brunet was doing these days. And then there was that Reborn fella, the blonde was interested in him as well. He wished that his family could see what he saw in Tsuna, an adorable little brunet with the sweetest heart of them all. But then again, that could be considered a weakness in the business world. Honestly, Tsuna was not cut out to be a businessman; he wasn't able to do deception or deceit at all. His little brother was just not that type of person, but then again, that was what he loved about Tsuna the most.

'Well, let's see how he's doing today. Wish I could call in advance, but it's not as if he really answers the phone.' Dino sighed, getting the dorm keys to unlock the room to freely enter. He didn't want to go in like this, but it was a surprise visit and he desperately wanted to see how his brother lived day by day. Not only that, he had seen the bank account at home, there was more money being pulled out and used. He had questioned about that, but he was confident that Tsuna knew what he was doing.

Opening the door carefully, he peeked inside and blinked. Empty. Pouting depressingly, he slipped further in, taking note of the time as being seven in the morning, and went further into the dorm room. It was clear he had come too early, but he couldn't resist. Once Dino closed the door behind he looked around, finding everything he remembered being there when he had visited last time. Except…

Dino blinked as he peered over towards the couch and tilted his head slightly. When had Tsuna gotten a pet? Stepping closer, he peered down at the beast and then raised an eyebrow. 'A fox? No, wait, it's a Mel-'As he looked over the golden creature, the fox lifted his head up to peer at the intruder, blinking his eyes questionably. The ears were up in alert and the relaxed form of Fong shifted as he took in the blonde. It was clear that the fox was considering if the stranger was an enemy or someone else.

"Hi, I'm Dino," The blonde grinned brightly, leaning over with his hands on his knees to get closer. "Is Tsuna here?"

Fong tilted his head curiously, recognizing the name as Tsuna's older brother, and relaxed to stretch his limbs before jumping off the couch. His long tails curled upwards before going back down halfway, this made it easier to walk. Regardless of how he carried himself, the tails took up quite a bit of room. "Yes, he is. He's still sleeping though since it's so early in the morning. I myself had only gotten up moments ago."

"Awww…" The blonde pouted in disappointment before suddenly getting a bright idea. Sneaking towards the bedroom, a miracle of not tripping or destroying anything along the way, he opened the door quietly to peek in. He wanted to see his sleeping brother, wondering how cute he would look. 'Eh?'

There in the bed was Tsuna and Reborn all curled up in the bed sheets, both turned towards each other comfortably. By the even rise and fall of the chests, Dino could tell they were both still fast asleep and smiled softly at the sight. It was cute, he'd admit, and stared a little longer. Tsuna's face was tucked against Reborn's shoulder just right, his legs tangled with the raven underneath the covers. The older man had his arms wrapped around the brunet gently, holding him steady, with his black hair spread across the pillow. His face was buried into the soft hair, breathing in the delightful scent that was in it.

"They look cute, huh?" A voice came from behind and Dino peered back to see a man with a long black hair tied up into a braid. The familiar voice identified the Chinese-looking man as the fox from before and he was met with a gentle smile. "They regularly sleep together like this, though Tsuna seems to do the same thing to me. But that might be because he has some sort of weakness towards animals."

Dino almost broke out into laughter at that. "Tsuna has always loved animals, especially ones he can actually hug."

"Is that so…"

"Well, I guess we should leave them alone for a while." The blonde managed to close the door without creating anymore destruction. However, his good luck disappeared when he suddenly tripped over his own feet and crashed to the ground painfully. "Oww…"

Fong stared at the blonde curiously before chuckling. "I see where Tsuna got his clumsiness from."

"Hey…" Dino managed to stand back up, but tripped a few more times before finally making it to the couch. He grumbled under his breath, not believing just how terrible he was acting. "So um, who are you?"

"Ah, I'm Fong and there's another person staying here as well, but he just went back home last night. He should be coming back later today though," The fox nodded his head for a greeting and made his way to the opposite couch where he had been lazing on. "We became friends with Tsuna and just have been hanging around ever since."

"Ah, that's good to hear. Looks like things are going well for him now. Guess I might not have to worry about him much longer. But I have a question," Dino looked over the other carefully, rubbing the back of his head nervously. Fong tilted his head slightly, curious at what the other wanted. "Is there any way you'll come to really trust Tsuna?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean like later in the future, is there any way Tsuna could come…live with you?" Dino watched as those dark eyes widened on him and immediately waved his hands before him. "W-Wait! Wait! I don't mean it like that. I mean that it might be…safer if he was out of my family's reach if you know what I mean. Do you _know_ about our family problems?"

Fong sighed, shoulders falling slightly. "Yes, I'm aware."

"Then you would see why I would want Tsuna to get away as quickly as possible. He can only stay in this school for so long after all. And that time is getting much closer. He only has two more years here before he has to go out on his own. So you must understand my concern." Dino leaned back against the couch and lifted his head up to stare at the ceiling. His blond hair fell around his face, curving just right to give him a slightly immature feature. The ruffles on his jacket squished around his neck and his brown eyes seemed to dull out for a few moments.

The fox just sighed at that, standing up to head towards the bedroom where Reborn and Tsuna was at, peeking in. He saw the raven's eyes were open, obviously listening to the conversation that was going on. Reborn still remained in the same position, too comfortable to move from his spot, and peered down at the brunet. Tsuna continued to sleep on without a care in the world, all cuddled up against the other. And for a moment, he seemed to rub his face into the chest, clearly enjoying the warmth that was coming from the other. Fong just smiled at the scene. "Tell me, what do you think, Reborn?"

"I'm contracted with him, my answer is obvious." The raven smirked at that, shifting slightly to move closer to the brunet and tucked Tsuna's head underneath his chin.

Fong chuckled at that response and turned back to Dino. "I see, well then, that pretty much sums it up." The blonde could only sigh in relief, flopping over the couch happily.

At that moment, Reborn called out from the bedroom, keeping it low enough to not wake up the brunet in his arms, "Fong, don't let that idiot anywhere near anything expensive. He had the tendency to destroy anything he touches with that clumsiness of his."

"H-Hey!"


	23. Chapter 23

"Sawada, since you have an Assurer, you'll be fighting in the battle tournaments from now on. These battles are for a grade so you are required to sign up for one once a month and win. If you don't win at least once then you are required to fight until you do." A professor stated, looking at the student with critical eyes, and shoved his glasses higher up on the bridge of his nose. He looked snobby compared to the rest of the professors who were in the University and was actually one of the few most hated. Tsuna could see why.

"Do…Do I really have to?" The Capturer's shoulders slumped downwards almost like he had been defeated, shrinking down at the scornful gaze the other was throwing at him. He had never liked those battles in the first place, it was the reason as to why he had been so badly injured in the first place and caused some nightmares for the next few days. But at least no one is allowed to kill. That was a good thing. He'd rather not see anything bad happen to Reborn, he cared too much for the older man to allow such a thing to happen if he could prevent it. "I don't really like fighting."

"You have an Assurer and it's obviously a fighting type so yes, you'll have to sign up. It's mandatory. Or you can fail and be reported for being noncompliant to the rules of the school. I'm sure that family of yours will be glad to hear about such things."

"A-Ah, I see," Tsuna only shrunk further down, his hatred for this teacher skyrocketing. Never once had a teacher actually used his status against him like that, it was dirty, but what could he do? He really had no power, no backing to his name, despite coming from a very powerful family. Sighing, he knew he should just go along to prevent further complications. Still, it didn't mean he liked doing such things, it was against his morals. "I'll need to ask Reborn then…"

This made the professor raise an eyebrow in confusion before narrowing. "He's your Assurer, he should be listening to your instructions without any complaints. If you're having problems controlling him, there's a class for that. You're probably too meek to actually do anything right anyway. I wonder why it wasn't already placed into your schedule in the first place."

"Ah no, it's just his schedule I mean. Yeah, that's right, his schedule. He seems happier whenever I ask him first." Backing up, Tsuna turned around and ran out of the room, not wanting to be here anymore. He ignored the yelling of the professor behind, not bothering to listen to anymore of the unnecessary scolding that Tsuna knew deep inside wasn't true. Rushing across the campus, he slammed open the door to his dorm and sighed depressingly, knowing that he must have gained Reborn's attention and anyone else that was inside.

The raven stared at him from his spot on the couch with questioning eyes and narrowed them slightly as he took in Tsuna's appearance. The brunet looked like he had been roughed up and winded, but as Reborn took a closer observation, it was simply because Tsuna had been running. As for why, he wasn't sure, but he was going to find out. When he saw nothing physically or mentally wrong, he eased up and rotated his body a little more so that he could get a better look at the younger male. Fong wasn't around at the moment, but Colonello was instead, stepping out from one of the bedrooms to see what was going on. The blonde offered a greeting, but it was ignored as he took in the Capturer's appearance.

Tsuna mentally groaned, he didn't want the others to start questioning him so soon. At least not yet anyway, but whatever, he knew he would have to say the words sooner or later. It was best to just get it done and over with. "Hey, Reborn…"

"What?" The raven placed a bookmark into the textbook he was currently reading and placed it aside so that he could listen better. It was one of the many art books Tsuna kept around. He was catching up on Earth's culture since he found it so interesting compared to home. "What happened this time?"

"Ah, well, my professor told me that there is a tournament in two days that I'm required to sign up for and well, I was wondering-"

"It's fine."

"Huh?" Tsuna blinked in surprise, eyes wide, clearly not expecting such a reaction. It was too fast, he had been thinking he would have to explain his reasons or the class policy or something to get Reborn to agree.

"I said it's fine. I'll fight for you. Remember the last time you had to go," Flashes of terror passed through those honey-colored eyes and the skin began to pale rapidly as if he was having a nightmare. Reborn grabbed a pillow on the sofa and tossed it over, snapping the brunet back into reality the moment it hit him on the face. He smirked as he watched Tsuna try to desperately catch the pillow, preventing it from hitting the ground, and let out a light chuckle. "So I'll fight for you. And before you say anything, no, you don't need to worry about me. I'm powerful enough on my own. And Colonello, I'm taking this one. You took that mission from before and I'm still pissed about it."

Colonello snorted, grumbling under his breath in disappointment. He had been hoping to go on another fun battle to cure his boredom. Meraviglie just wasn't very interesting anymore when he's been all over already. But it was true, it was Reborn's turn. Still, the blonde went around to flop onto the sofa that was next to the raven's, settling down with a pout. "Fine, fine. But I want to take the next one, kora."

"T-Thanks. Thanks a lot." The brunet smiled lightly and went around the couch before settling down next to the raven. He peered over the arguing two and chuckled. It was times like this he really enjoyed being with his newfound friends. 'Ah…that's right.' Tsuna hummed lightly to himself as he thought up of something. He had been meaning to ask this for a while, but he never knew when to, it wasn't something that could be brought up at any time after all. "Reborn. Colonello. Are you two high class Meraviglians?"

At that, the two turned to the brunet, simply staring, before Reborn smirked in amusement, looking like he was going to break out into laughter at any moment. "Looks like you're finally learning something in class. Congratulations." The tone was sarcastic, so much so that Tsuna immediately caught onto it.

"Hey! Don't tease me!" A pout slipped out and the brunet flopped back to bounce against the cushion, slumping his position on the sofa. He crossed his arms as if trying to show how angry he was, endeavoring to pull off one of those pissy looks, and grumbled under his breath. However, no matter how much he tried, it never worked out. Reborn and Colonello just laughed at the attempt. "Could you please just answer the question?"

"Obviously. I'm quite feared in my world among those who know who I am." Reborn smirked, folding his legs as he leaned over towards Tsuna teasingly, poking one of the bulging cheeks.

Colonello joined in moments later, getting up to sit on Tsuna's other side. He followed Reborn's actions and gently stabbed the other cheek, knowing it would annoy the brunet trapped between the two of them. "Our group is quite well known among the higher-ups, kora."

"Do you want to know about our identities?" Reborn leaned back against the couch, putting his arms down onto his lap as he stared down at the brunet. When he saw the hesitation clearly beaming in those eyes, he almost wanted to sigh, but instead reached up to pat Tsuna on the head. It was a comforting gesture, one he knew Tsuna would enjoy and relax into. "I don't think Colonello and myself would mind telling you."

"You don't have to if you don't want to say anything. I'm kinda happy with how things are currently," Tsuna nestled closer against the hand, trying to get comfortable as he stared up into those black eyes with a smile. "I mean, I would like to know, but…"

"Oh? Well then, I'll just have to remain quiet then." Reborn smirked, letting his fingers drift down to run them through the caramel-colored hair, enjoying the silky feeling it left in-between. It was nice and he enjoyed it, watching as Tsuna slowly drifted closer and eventually collapsed against his shoulder. Reborn just smirked and leaned to the side, still letting his fingers drift through. A peaceful time like this was what he enjoyed the most. Colonello almost wanted to laugh at the sight of Reborn allowing someone to lie against him, but knew better, Tsuna was after all a wonderful person. When the raven pulled away to get back to reading, the blonde followed Reborn's previous example of running his fingers through the hair.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Tsuna looked up at the raven curiously, worry shinning in his eyes as he peered outside towards the stadium where a fight was currently going on, then back to the Assurer. He had been watching the previous battles and he cringed at each one, never liking to see such violence if it was possible. He still wasn't fond of the idea of letting his friend head out into that mess either.

Reborn gently knocked him upside the head, grumbling under his breath about one thing or another, continuously reminding the brunet that everything would be fine. He had already materialized his gun, using the barrel to push up his fedora to see better with that cunning smirk underneath. "You worry too much. Trust me, I'll be fine."

"If you say so."

"Now, connect with me already." Reborn noticed that the battle outside was about to end, the winner clear in his eyes.

Tsuna tilted his head, "Connect?"

The raven almost sighed. "Ah, that's right, I'm your first Assurer. You don't know about any of this stuff," Reborn pulled his Capturer to the side to do some explaining. "You know how the contract can influence the powers of the Assurer, yes?"

"You mean like power boosts or extra powers?"

"Yes, but it's more apparent when you connect bonds, which is why if a Capturer and an Assurer are close, the boosts are much higher. Normally, if I was summoned into battle, the connection is already there, but I wasn't. So we're going to have to do it manually," Reborn folded his arms, still holding onto his weapon. "I'll teach you how to do it, now listen closely. How it works is that our hands that contain the markings need to touch."

Tsuna followed the first direction, grasping onto Reborn's much larger hand with both of his own. He felt a light spark of power flow through him and he could barely listen to the rest of the directions as he searched out for that flow. He could literally feel the darkness, his mind reaching out to it as if knowing that it bellowed solely to the raven. Before he knew it, there was a small glow as if his tattoo and Reborn's were resonating together. The older man gasped as a spark flew through his body, not expecting such a powerful reaction, and almost yanked his hand away in response. But he didn't and could feel something warm flow through him from Tsuna's direction, something comforting, and he knew that the connection was already set there. Slowly, Tsuna's hands pulled away, but the feeling didn't leave. Reborn felt as if he was safe and more powerful than before.

"Did I do it correctly?" The brunet muttered softly, wondering if he had done things right. The tattoo on his arm began to fade and his eyes peered up hesitatingly at the raven, having heard the previous gasp.

"Y-Yes…you did," Reborn examined his arm, flexing the fingers momentarily, before shaking his head. He could think about such things later. There were other things he needed to explain about as well. "Before I forget, it's that connection that allows the Capturer to feel the pain of the Assurer when wounded. So it does have its disadvantages as well. But don't worry, I don't get hurt."

There were some envious looks from the other Capturers since they had seen that glow, already knowing that Tsuna's Assurer was powerful enough on his own. Now that the two were connected together, there was no telling what could happen next.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi, are you ready?" One of the battle watchers, who were all female, came out from the arena, dressed in a military uniform. Her face was covered in a black mask, preventing anyone from seeing her face, and she had long pink hair that flowed to mid-back. Another watcher came out, dressed exactly the same. It was almost impossible to tell the difference between the two with how identical they looked. "Should I go over the rules for you?"

"N-No, I'm good. I know what they are. We're only doing one battle, right? I don't need to do anymore?"

"Tsuna, you need to be more ambitious." Reborn snorted, bumping the brunet on the head again.

"B-But it's you I'm concerned about."

"I told you already that I'll be fine."

"O-Okay."

The battle watcher looked between the two, examining Tsuna's blushing and nervous expression, then to Reborn's indifferent one. She took a step back, not thinking much on their odd relationship, and turned around to open the door to the arena. The sounds of cheers and boos from the audience were louder than before and the sun that was shining over was much brighter than Tsuna originally remembered. The woman peered back to them. "Alright then, please step out and prepare for your battle."

Nodding to each other, the two slowly made their way out into the open, looking around the area for anything suspicious, but saw nothing but a wide flatland. Tsuna's normally peach-colored appearance turned a little pale and quickly pressed himself against the other. He didn't like the way those eyes were looking at him, picking him apart. It made him feel incredibly anxious. His mind was so focused on himself that he barely heard the announcements going on above from the speakers and carefully peered up at his opponent who he recognized as someone in his previous class, his Assurer was already out.

Tsuna examined the Meraviglian, unable to help himself in being curious, and stared at the creature that looked like it had come out of those video games. It had the appearance of a flower, a rose in specific, with the vines wiggling around as arms. The thorns on them were sharpened with a small tint of blood at the ends, Tsuna guessed that it had been used to wrap around its victims and squeeze. The head was in the center of the petals, beady black eyes staring out, and its body was squirming around as it moved.

Reborn snorted at the weakling, knowing that this would be an easy battle, and stepped forward slightly to get in front of the brunet just in case. He would take no chances in letting Tsuna get accidently harmed. However, that didn't mean he needed to use a lot of power, probably only a little was necessary. The moment the announcer yelled "Battle Start", Reborn made a quick shot with his gun within a split second and hit the target with undeniable aim. The flower monster flew back at the force and almost disintegrated under his power, not yet dead since it had only been on the side. However, he couldn't refute the fact that he had accidently blown off half of the body in one move. The raven blinked, clearly surprised, and glanced down at his gun in question. He stared at it, waving it slightly as if wondering if something would happen, before putting his arm down.

"R-Reborn? W-What did you do?" Tsuna whispered, tilting his head at the sudden show of power Reborn revealed. "I know you're really powerful, but you didn't have to go that far. I don't want either of us to get in trouble especially you."

The raven continued to hold his gun before letting it vanish into black smoke from his fingers, still looking at them in question. He didn't understand, he had been holding back. "I'm holding back more than the usual, so why?"

"W-Winner is Sawada!" The announcer yelled out over the microphone, over the screaming Capturer and gaping audience. Fear was obvious within those eyes before some cleared up and began to cheer deafeningly for Reborn and Tsuna altogether. Soon, everyone followed and was chanting about one thing or another in the background. The brunet ran up to Reborn with a questioning expression, taking those hands into his own, having seen that confused look on the raven. Worry was shining in his eyes and Reborn could only smirk in amusement, finding it adorable at how the other cared so much about him.

"Before you say anything, nothing is wrong. I'll just need to investigate in something. I must have used more power than expected." Reborn chuckled, tapping Tsuna on the forehead fondly, and reached up to tilt his fedora to the side to get a better visual of the younger man. Seeing the relief shining in the brunet's eyes, he began to think to himself, wondering what had just happened. 'Perhaps this is one of those effects I mentioned before? This is the first time we actually connected so it's possible that the bond between us gave me a massive power boost. It's not uncommon after all.'

"Sawada, you're allowed to move on to your next opponent. You can either continue or pull out." The pink-haired woman jumped down from the sidelines, taking a look over the two as if watching.

Tsuna was about to say something, most likely to stop, when Reborn clamped his hand over the brunet's mouth. There was some squirming on Tsuna's end, but he went still when the raven sent a light glare and answered, "We'll keep going. The more battles the higher the grade, correct?"

"That is correct."

"Then we'll keep going." The raven tapped Tsuna on the head to keep his mouth shut and stepped forward. 'And it'll give me another chance to investigate this so-called power boost.'

As the next set of partners came around, Reborn struck the moment the announcer said 'Start', this time using a simple physical attack. He made sure to hold back even more than before, kicking his enemy at the side, and ended up sending the other Assurer flying straight into a wall with a loud crash. The creature was almost flattened against it, remaining still against the wall before flopping downwards with pieces of the cement crumbling down, obviously out. Reborn narrowed his dark eyes at that. So he was correct, he had gained some sort of boost. The strength he normally used before the connection would just send the enemy across the floor. It was almost like his strength and powers had been doubled. He made a 'tch' sound in the back of his throat, flexing his arms, and then smirked as if he had won the lottery of some kind.

'This is actually quite impressive.' Reborn chuckled and stepped towards Tsuna, who was shifting closer. "Tsuna, did you know that you just gave me a power boost?"

The brunet stared. "I did?"

"Remember, you can help the Assurer get stronger in different ways and I can definitely feel the difference when you connected yourself to me," Reborn wrapped his arms around Tsuna fondly and pulled him away. He gave a cunning smirk and nodded off towards the referee to let her know that they were leaving. "Tsuna, two wins gives you a hundred for your assignment?"

"Y-yeah."

"Then let's go. I'm starting to get hungry."

Tsuna sighed but followed, knowing better than to argue. But at least this tournament thing was done and over with until next month.

* * *

Colonello had been thinking on a certain subject for a while. He really had and it was annoying how the same thoughts seem to haunt him over and over again. He wanted to do it and yet, he didn't. It was, after all, a hard decision to make. It was like he was signing his life away and it could be to the wrong person. That was the last thing he wanted to do. But…Reborn of all people trusted him dearly and he would be foolish to not see how protective the raven got over the brunet. It was too clear and easy to pick out. The closeness the two companions had, it was amazing. And for once, Colonello felt jealous because deep inside, he wanted that same thing.

Sure, he once had feelings for Lal, his ex-tutor who had helped him in life back when he was younger, but that was a long time ago. They had tried a relationship after many attempts and yet nothing ever seemed to last. They would fight, they would argue, they would complain, and the list went on. It eventually got to the point where being together didn't have the same meaning anymore and the love that they had felt for each other slowly drifted away. He caught himself thinking at times on what he had done wrong to make their relationship end as it did, but nothing ever seemed to come up as the answer. It was like it was meant to be, that his love for Lal was meant to end. And it had.

Now they were simply friends, buddies in a sense. It had been awkward the first few weeks as they tried to resettle back into their old routines and once that first month had passed, things began to go back to normal. They interacted with each other the same way and never closer than that. There was no more flirting, no more touching, no nothing. And that was how it was meant to be, Colonello knew that better than anyone. The rest of their little group had helped out in correcting the wrong and place them back into a position where they had been before the dating. And things just went back to how they used to be. The blonde couldn't be any happier when that happened because that meant he could still be friends with the one person he wanted to remain with.

But Tsuna… Tsuna was definitely working his way up into his heart. He didn't exactly have feelings for the brunet, perhaps some protectiveness and fondness, but something was still there. He wanted nothing to harm Tsuna, nothing. And it only grew stronger the more time he spent with the other. Tsuna was kind-hearted, so very forgiving, and was everything people wanted to be friends with and perhaps even love. Reborn had clearly seen it and had attached himself to the brunet constantly, never far away and always close by to watch.

It had been funny at first to see Reborn acting like that, but when Colonello saw what the raven saw, he could only do the same. It was amusing how things turned out to be.

"Colonello, are you hungry?" Tsuna's soft voice broke the blonde's train of thoughts, leaning over the table from the side to get a better look at the face. He smiled gently, patiently waiting for a response, and asked again when he didn't get an answer for a few moments.

"Ah, yeah. I'm hungry." Colonello snapped his attention away from his mind and peered at the brunet, watching as Tsuna pulled away from the table. Right now, Reborn was taking a shower, enjoying his moment alone with the hot water and some relaxation. Not many knew, but Reborn enjoyed a lot of the simple things, from relaxing in some hot water to just sitting out on the porch back home to watch the scenery with a cup of espresso in hand. It was somewhat contradicting to his personality, but it wasn't a bad thing.

Colonello's bright blue eyes watched over Tsuna from the table, watching him cook some pasta while mixing together some sort of rosemary-mushroom cream sauce in another pan. He didn't care what Tsuna cooked since he was certain it would be delicious either way. Still, his mind drifted back to his previous topic and sighed heavily to himself.

Suddenly, he slammed his hands down, startling Tsuna almost to the point of dropping the mixing spatula into the sauce pan. The blonde stood up and made his way over to the younger man. "I give up, you win, kora!"

"Eh? Win?"

"Never mind," The blonde waved his hand to push the conversation away and took a step forward. He reached out and pointed towards Tsuna's right arm where the contract symbol was at. "Give me your arm. I'm going to make a pact with you, kora."

Tsuna stared for a few seconds as his mind tried to process the new development. "Eh?!"

"What? Am I not good enough for you, kora?"

Tsuna shook his head rapidly, knowing that that wasn't true. No, it was the opposite. Colonello was too good have a pact with him of all people.

Of course, the blonde knew what was going through the human's thoughts and almost sighed. And yet, he found it amusing and quite…nice. It was exactly what he wanted if he was going to be connected with someone and Tsuna just fit all the criteria he desired. Reaching over, he took Tsuna's right arm that currently held Reborn's contract and yanked the sleeve back to reveal it. His blue eyes peered curiously over the design, the first time ever getting a real good look, and chuckled. Without saying a thing, he pulled their hands together to form a fit and closed his eyes as he concentrated on the procedure. He let his power flow through him and using the connection he had with Tsuna, allowed his powers to shift across. Tsuna let out startled a breath, the first time ever feeling the rush of a pact, and watched as the tattoo on his arm begin to glow blue color. He could feel the flow of water, a powerful yet calming sensation entering his body. But once the glow began to subside, so did the feeling. The brunet looked at the newly changed tattoo, finding Reborn's symbol had moved to one side while Colonello's on the other, which consisted of an eagle.

"Now," The blonde opened his eyes, peering straight into Tsuna's with a wide grin. "I've entrusted myself to you so make sure to call me whenever you're in trouble alright? I'm sure Reborn gave you the same lecture as well, kora."

"Indeed I did," The two jumped at the sudden voice, Tsuna letting out a squeak, as they turned to Reborn. The raven was only half-dressed, a towel draped over his shoulders where his dripping wet hair was, and had some loose slacks on. His normally spiky hair was flattened by the weight of the water, but his eyes were still as sharp as ever. For a moment, Colonello almost thought Reborn looked furious, but it seemed to be just his imagination. The black haired man stepped forward, still rubbing his hair to dry it, and stopped in front of the two. He looked over the tattoos and smirked, turning to the blonde. "Tsuna, Colonello, form a connection now. I want to test something."

The two newly contracted partners peered curiously at each other, but followed Reborn's commands, knowing better than to argue against it. Tsuna proceeded to do the same process from earlier, grasping the hand with both of his own. Knowing he had full attention on him, he closed his eyes to better concentrate, searching out for the flow that belonged to Colonello. It wasn't hard, it never was as he'd recognized the sensation from before, the soft alluring swishing of water, and pulled at it. A glow appeared on the two tattoos and Colonello let out an alarmed gasp as he felt the same spark the raven had felt flow throughout his entire body. Reborn watched closely, knowing the reaction was just as powerful as before.

It took a few moments for Colonello to actually understand what was going on after Tsuna pulled away. The blonde turned to the other man. "That has never happened before. Not even when Luce called us out, kora."

"Agreed, it's very odd," Reborn ignored the fact that Tsuna was looking at them curiously, obviously not understanding a thing. With a nudge from the raven, the brunet went back to cooking, though still tossed a look back at the two now and then. "How do you feel?"

"Like everything is at peace, I feel…calm yet can feel a surge of energy gushing through every nerve of my body. My fingers are still tingling, kora!"

"Looks like there's more to Tsuna than I originally thought."

Colonello ran a hand through his blond locks, missing the hair band. "First dreams, now this? There's something odd about Tsuna's family, kora."

"You're not the only one thinking that. I'll let Fong know when he comes back." Reborn let the towel fall off, tossing it into the dirty laundry basket, as he went back into his shared room for a shirt. He shook his head, there was definitely more to Tsuna than he thought, but with such odd benefits, it didn't make sense as to why his family would abandon him like that. It just didn't.

* * *

"So, I heard from some friends of mine that my little brother has finally managed to gain a pact. Two if I'm correct." A person spoke, his voice deep and almost mystifying to the world around him. His blond hair shined brilliantly in the rising sun, just becoming morning, and sharp bright blue eyes stared ahead at the principal of the school. "Is this true?"

The principal nodded his head slowly, fear obvious in his eyes with his fingers shaking at the sight of the other person. He was trembling, cowering under those bright eyes which were narrowed dangerously. "Y-Yes, he has two. They're both oddballs however. They tend to do whatever they wish regardless of what Tsunayoshi wants. And of course, Tsunayoshi allows them to get away with it."

"I see. Then perhaps a meeting with him must be done to straighten him up. I cannot allow Tsunayoshi to ruin our good name. Tell me, what is his schedule for today?"

"A-Absolutely sir."


	24. Chapter 24

Reborn shifted slightly within his bed sheets, enjoying the warmth that radiated underneath. The sun was just beginning to peek through the curtains, the light shining its radiance over the floor, just missing the bed where Reborn was located. Regardless, the light made him stir awake and rolled around in the bed until he was met with some resistance. His black eyes peeked open slowly, adjusting to the morning light, before finally focusing on the body besides him.

Taking a deep breath, he reached down to Tsuna, who was curled up against him, and ran his hand through the hair. The soft locks were silky smooth, still spiky despite being rubbed against the pillow throughout the night. He shifted a little more to get into a more comfortable position and got his arm hooked underneath Tsuna's head, bringing the brunet closer to his body. He was able to get a better view of that sleeping face, slumbering peacefully as if nothing could go wrong.

Reborn chuckled quietly and continued to pet the hair, watching in amusement when the long eyelashes seemed to flutter at each move. A soft almost inaudible sigh slipped through Tsuna's lips, the brunet shifting closer towards the warmth, which happened to be Reborn's larger body. Almost automatically, the younger man wrapped his arms around the raven, burying his face into the chest, and cuddled. It was clear to the raven that the brunet is far too comfortable to actually move again and it would be a shame to actually do so. Still, it wasn't bad. Reborn had gotten used to these types of mornings.

It had taken a while for him to actually adjust to this willingly though. He had never been the cuddle type of person; much less, he would never invite someone into his bed just to sleep either unless there were other activities involved. But Tsuna really was changing that, and fast. Reborn continued to run his fingers through the soft hair, still enjoying the sensation it brought in-between his fingers. It was during these types of mornings that Reborn enjoyed the most, it was nice and quiet, so peaceful compared to back at home on the other world. But even though he appreciated this place and all it was worth, he still missed home. There was no denying that. Home was home, the place where he had been for years before and would love to return to.

"Hey, Tsuna." Reborn whispered, nudging the brunet gently at first. He got a response, just a small shuffle of arms, and Tsuna rolled back to get a better look at the raven. Honey-colored eyes fluttered open and peered up towards Reborn curiously, looking completely content in his position.

"Reborn?" Tsuna slowly closed his eyes and rolled back, burying himself back into that warmth happily. He was tired. He had apparently stayed up late the night before continuously drawing. When he had inspiration to do something, he wouldn't give up until it was all out. The numerous pieces of paper on the floor were evidence to that and he only stopped when Reborn demanded him to with some force. The papers had sketches of the sceneries that surrounded the school and others had the group of four together at a table. It was homey images that seemed to stir Reborn whenever he saw them, knowing that it looked like something that would be at home with him and the others in the past. It was funny how such images could bring out such wonderful sensations within him that he thought never existed. But Tsuna was a miracle in his own pace.

"This weekend, I want you to stay over. It'll do you some good to get away from everything for a while," The raven flicked a caramel-colored strand of hair away from Tsuna's face, giving a direct view of the soft features. "And you need to get to know everyone else in our group. One day, when you graduate, I want you to come live with us."

Tsuna snapped his eyes open at that, looking a little shocked, and red dusted his cheeks. "D-Do you…mean that? T-That I can s-stay with you when I graduate?"

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it," The raven chuckled, pulled the other closer to him. Tsuna just smiled along joyfully, almost letting out a pleased squeal, and tightened his hold on Reborn's body, giving a massive hug. "The rest of the group won't mind once they get used to you. Fong and Colonello have already given their vote."

The brunet just continued to grin, tightening his hug further. He didn't want to let go. Not ever. Those words just made his chest and heart feel so light. Reborn chuckled, petting the hair gently, knowing he had made the right decision. Tsuna was just too precious to lose.

* * *

Reborn yawned as he stretched his arms above his head, letting out a content sigh when he heard his back pop before collapsing back down. He used the arm of the couch to sit him up and crossed his legs over the cushions. It had been a good two hours since he had sat down to watch some movies, but it didn't seem all that interesting in his point of view. Eventually, he switched over to some shows, clicking through the various channels one by one until he stumbled across something that looked fascinating. Of course, it didn't last long and he was back to button pressing. Tsuna was out for class at this moment, most likely going to finish pretty soon and return back. Reborn wiggled his nose when the show he had been watching turned into something distasteful and switched again, momentarily stopping to sip his lukewarm cup of espresso. He had managed to make a batch for himself with Tsuna's coffee machine. Though it didn't taste as good as when the brunet made it, it was still decent enough.

He perked up slightly when he heard the lock on the door come undone, a click echoing in the living room. A smirk made its way up onto his lips and he sat up to get a better look at the door when it opened. "Ah, Tsuna, you're back."

As the door swing open, Reborn raised an eyebrow when he didn't hear a usual response from Tsuna right away and stood up to look over curiously. What he saw before him made him freeze to the spot. The man before him _wasn't_ Tsuna. No, the person was definitely different and the raven was certain he had seen the man before somewhere in the past. His mind racked through his memories, trying to connect the dots and piece things together.

Meanwhile, he observed the man as he stepped into the dorm room with an air of confidence and superiority, almost like he was disgusted at having to be here. It was clear this man had permission from the school to enter from the looks of the dangling keys and the visitor badge that was pinned to the suit. But for Reborn, it was enough to tell him that he had an unwelcomed guest. The Meraviglian immediately summoned his gun, his eyes narrowed dangerously as he glared, and wondered if it was one of those idiots trying to bully Tsuna again, who had managed to steal or disguise themselves as a visitor. No…that didn't seem all that likely by the way the blonde was acting and it was too much trouble for the average idiot.

The person simply stood there at the door, keeping himself still as he continued to study the place, before his eyes snapped over to the raven. It was at that moment when Reborn was finally able to fully examine the features that he was able to connect a name to the man. Those looks, the hair that was spiked in a similar way as Tsuna's, it could only belong in that family line. There is no doubt about it. Reborn growled angrily as realization began to settle into his mind, the identity clear, all these features could only belong to the middle brother he had seen in the sketchbook a couple of times over the months he had been staying here.

"Chaos. You must be Tsuna's brother, Giotto," Reborn huffed, raising his weapon up higher, his intention clear. He remembered all the things Tsuna had said about his said older brother in the past, the depressed voice echoing within his mind, though he found it odd at the same time. There wasn't much to connect to the middle brother, unlike the parents, but he wasn't like Dino either, Reborn was certain on that. He couldn't see or sense anything that would make him change opinions. "If you're looking for Tsuna, he'll be here later. However, I don't want you saying anything to upset him."

"I'm not here for him," Giotto finally spoke with his arms crossed against his chest and examined the raven before him with indifference. His blond locks were similar to Dino's, but lighter in shade and seemed to bounce at each step he took. And those bright blue eyes were overwhelming on his features, it was as clear as the bright sky outside the window. The clothes he was wearing was that of a pinstripe suit with a long black cape on his shoulders draping his body just right to reveal everything in front. He stepped forward, deeper into the room, and peered over everything once more before turning back to close the door behind him. "So this is where my idiotic brother has been living in, how terrible in taste. And you must be one of Tsuna's Assurers. You're just as they told me, horrible and overly arrogant."

Reborn narrowed his eyes in revulsion, despising the way the other spoke, both at him and at Tsuna. And he was certain those same words were directed at Colonello as well. It was clear that he was pissed off, terribly, and he wanted nothing more than to tear that face in half. And maybe a few other unmentionable places as well. But he kept himself in control, his expression kept in a poker face. "If you're really here to do nothing more than harm and degrade Tsuna then leave. He doesn't need your words anymore."

Giotto smirked at that, stepping forward as he unhooked his cape, and let it fall to the ground. He leaned over momentary to pick it up, toss it over a chair to keep the cape from getting dirty. "And if I don't leave?"

"Then I'll just have to force you out." Reborn snapped, feeling his powers growing stronger at the rushing emotions within his mind. His expression was kept in check, never revealing what he was thinking to the other to keep anyone from finding out what he is planning, but it was clear that he was enraged. The darkness in the surrounding area began to flutter and shift at his will, his control of the place seeping out. It began to pool around him, misting out thickly from his body, and it appeared like he was about to transform at any moment, given the way he had the area surrounded. Reborn had had enough of this idiotic brother and his words. There was no way he was going to let Tsuna suffer by this man's hands; he would make sure of that.

The blonde didn't flinch at the shift of power, but did take a step back to gain some distance from the flood of darkness that threatened to engulf him at any moment. "So you're a darkness attribute and quite powerful, too." His blue eyes watched the surrounding area carefully, making sure that there would be no sneak attack from the side. As he checked, Giotto raised his hands into an attacking stance and narrowed his eyebrows as if concentrating on something. Suddenly, bright orange flames appeared out of nowhere, burning along his hands and his forehead brightly. Amazingly, the flames didn't burn any of the skin or hair, not even the clothes were affected, and were just there like it was normal. The bright glow appeared to push back the darkness with its brilliance, lighting the field, but not completely since the darkness was much stronger. His eyes shifted into a similar orange color as the flames and Giotto looked ready to attack at any moment, gloves appearing over his hands magically.

Reborn's eyes momentarily widened, surprise clearly visible on his expression. He knew the color of that attribute, it was a heaven element. Of all attributes he had to go against, it had to be that one. Heaven attributes were always the toughest to fight off due to their various and mysterious abilities. He mentally cursed, but didn't back down from the upcoming battle. Reborn knew he was more than strong enough to fight the human off even if he could wield the rarest element, but he knew he had to be careful, he refused to fall for any tricks that could take him out. Still, for a human to be able to use the attribute like this, it was clear that there was blood from a Meraviglian running through his veins. Reborn's mind began to click things together…perhaps that would explain Tsuna's odd ability…

As they stared at each other for a few seconds, both studying their opponent, Giotto pulled up the sleeve on his right arm, revealing a flame like tattoo on the skin with six markings in the center. Reborn immediately growled, knowing what the other was planning on doing the moment he saw the contract tattoo and prepared himself. Luckily for him, he had gotten some idea over what the Assurers would be like due to the various drawings Tsuna enjoyed making in his spare time and explaining each one whenever possible. But he would take no chances, he couldn't afford to mess up.

"So you're a Capturer just as Tsuna said. But it doesn't matter. Your Assurers can't beat me, no matter how powerful they are."

"We'll just have to see about that! G!"

* * *

Tsuna found himself randomly shivering out of nowhere. He tilted his head curiously, peering around the room to see if it was maybe because of the air-conditioner or an open window. But nothing told him otherwise. And still the shivering remained, never stopping, and goosebumps began to rise up on his skin. Tsuna peered around the room at his classmates, trying to see if they were feeling the same coldness as him. However, nothing gave it away, everyone looked normal. Looking down at his fingers, he closed his eyes, trying to concentrate on what was causing his sudden shivering.

A terrible feeling slowly began to sink into his stomach as he did so, like something terrible was happening close by. He could feel something odd moving in the air, like a strong surge of power, and his mind was going haywire like he was in some sort of battle zone. Everything in his body was screaming warning signs, telling him that something wasn't right, Tsuna was certain of it. With that in mind, he found himself unable to concentrate in class as the sensation began to grow stronger at each passing second. 'Just what is happening…?' Tsuna thought to himself, keeping himself still in hopes of not gaining any attention towards his situation. 'Did…something happen? Maybe Reborn…Reborn!'

Snapping his head up, he yanked his sleeve back to view the symbol of the pact, but saw nothing wrong. It was the same as always. Still, he stared, unable to tear his eyes away, and before he realized it, he was rushing out of the classroom with his bag. He could hear people crying out to him, yells from the other students and the professor to come back, but he ignored them all, his mind elsewhere. All Tsuna knew is that he needed to head back to his dorm and fast. He didn't know why, but it didn't matter, he just needed to go. As he got close enough to his home, there was a loud deafening sound that made him freeze to the spot and soon after, the ground rattled below his feet, forcing him to keep his balance to prevent himself from falling down. There were some startled cries from some other students, who were in the area with him, but no one knew what was going on. A flood of darkness magic shimmered around the building, pouring out slowly, and Tsuna recognized it immediately. It could only belong to one person, the same person who was always surrounded in it.

'Reborn!' He went back to running, continuing his way through the building until he reached his door, slamming it open only to see a body fly across the room before his very eyes. There was a loud crash that correlated with the body and the brunet froze at his spot as his mind tried to keep up with what had just happened. When he processed the information, Tsuna let out a loud gasp from shock as his body shook while thinking of the worst that could happen. He repeated words within his mind, telling himself over and over again that this wasn't happening. It wasn't possible after all, Reborn was supposed to be strong. He had stated so.

Slowly, he turned his eyes towards the fallen body, hoping and praying in the back of his mind that that wasn't Reborn and was someone else. Though he never liked anyone being harmed, he couldn't help but wish so. He hesitantly examined the person beside him and was met with a surprise he would have never expected. His eyes widened as he recognized the person almost immediately, it was hard not to. He had seen the man many times before in the past, just fleeting glances that lasted for a minute or two, but that hair was obvious to spot anywhere. That pink-colored hair, despite the man arguing it was red, that was evenly layered with a split in the center, and had a tattoo across the entire right side of his face was undeniable. All of these could only belong to one person he knew. It was one of his brother's Assurers and the right-hand man of Giotto in the business world, G. 'But if he's here, then that means Giotto is, too.'

He rotated around to the other side from where G had flown from to see Reborn, unharmed, with his hands in his pockets like nothing was wrong. The raven had a few wisps of darkness moving around his body, spreading from it like a fog. But those eyes, Tsuna shivered at the sight of them, they were angry, enraged, and promised death to anyone that dared come too close. Regardless, the brunet was happy for Reborn's safety.

"Reborn!" Calling out, he rushed over to the man's side and immediately did a sweep over him to ensure that everything was okay. He was thankful that he couldn't spot anything wrong, Reborn looking the same as he remembered when he left the dorm this morning. "Are you hurt? Bleeding anywhere?"

Reborn smirked, his battle stance relaxing when he felt his Capturer touch him, and reached over to pat Tsuna on the head as if trying to calm the other down. The darkness around him eased up but didn't fade away completely. "Of course not, who do you think you're talking to? Your brother and his pathetic Assurers were no match for me."

"Eh?" The brunet took that moment to peer around the room and noticed that G wasn't the only one that was down and out. There were a few muffled groans from around the living room and multiple bodies were hanging on the different furniture, from the couch to the table. He was able to recognize each one easily from the hair colors, Alaude, Spade, Knuckle, and so on. Every one of them was clearly beaten despite going against only one single person, who didn't even have his contract up and running.

A single thought slipped through Tsuna's mind when he saw the carnage. Just how strong was Reborn? The raven had to be pretty high up there if he was able to beat all of his brother's high-class Assurers single-handedly with little to no problem. Tsuna looked around once more and spotted his brother standing close to the window in the back, looking completely exhausted with a couple of cuts on his clothes. Giotto was wearing a pained pale as white expression, his orange eyes wide in shock and fatigue, and he was leaning against the wall for support. He looked like he was about to collapse at any second with the way he was swaying back and forth. "Giotto…"

"Well Tsuna…" The blonde grumbled, using one hand to hold his right side in agony, and coughed. It was like he had broken something in that area and stared up at the two with one eye closed shut. "It seemed like you've found yourself a powerful Assurer."

"He's not an Assurer," Tsuna automatically replied, earning a curious look from Reborn. "He's my friend."

Giotto stared for a few moments before sighing, shaking his head. The long blond bangs swung side to side at the movement. "I shouldn't be surprised that you would say that. However, an Assurer is a tool. They must be kept under control or else you'll never be able to keep them from doing unnecessary things. We all know that."

Tsuna shook his head sadly, disapproving his brother's words as his eyes closed. He didn't like those words, they weren't true. He was absolutely confident in those he considered dear. Even though it's only been such a short time with Reborn, Fong, and Colonello, he knew deep within that they are wonderful people. And Reborn… Reborn had cared for him since the beginning despite all his family and individual problems. If the raven were to do something unnecessary, it would be for his sake. Just hearing his own brother say such terrible things about Reborn and everyone else made his heart throb painfully.

Taking a step forward, he looked towards Giotto with as much confidence he could muster and opened his mouth to speak. He needed to get his point across before something happened and just having Reborn beside him made him feel stronger than normal. It made him feel like he could do anything. "I'm not like you, brother. I can't do that to anyone. I want everyone to live happily. And Reborn is my friend, I trust him and any decision he makes. He's free to come by or leave as he wishes. He was the one that decided to have a pact with me; I would have never done anything like that if Reborn hadn't been the one to give me the push."

The raven stared for a few moments in shock before his face twisted into a smirk, unable to keep his amusement at the fact the brunet was trying to defend him. It made him feel honored and…kinda happy at the same time. With those feelings flowing through him, he wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around Tsuna protectively, to make sure that no harm would ever dare come to hurt him. But he resisted, considering that the blonde in front of him was observing how the two of them interacted closely with those sharp blue eyes. It was like the older brother was watching for something.

A silence settled between the two before Giotto shook his head and straightened himself up, the flames still dancing on his body brightly, shining in the darkness that Reborn had summoned into the room. "Whatever you say. Nonetheless, it would appear that you have found a worthy Assurer. Not bad. You defeated everyone including myself within minutes," He glanced over his fallen men and sighed. He could tell that they were badly wounded, but nothing life-threatening, a few quite close to being if Reborn hadn't pulled back on his strength even when he used his weapons to fire. Giotto considered himself lucky that no one had died. His eyes snapped back up to the raven and that made Tsuna jump slightly. "However, I do not approve of his attitude."

"Brother, you don't approve of anything I have ever done," Tsuna muttered under his breath just loud enough for only Reborn to hear, sighing sadly to himself, and slowly backed up so that he could be against Reborn. He peered up at the older man and smiled softly, reaching over to grip the other. "Sorry Reborn, this is how he normally is."

"It's fine. Will you be making lunch soon? It's getting late already and as much as I hate to say this, I'll be heading out later tonight for a job. Colonello will be coming over once he's done with his to keep you company so make some extra for him to eat when he arrives. Fong also had a job earlier today so he'll probably be back around dinner."

Tsuna shrunk for a moment upon realizing Reborn would be leaving, but shook his head, thinking to himself that he had to be strong. "I see. Well, let me clean up the place first since it's kinda a mess at this moment, I hope nothing is broken." Taking a glimpse over the living room, he noted that all of his artworks had been spared carefully along with some of his furniture. It was clear that Reborn had been trying to create as little of a mess as possible and direct the enemy towards areas that had little to no furniture. He smiled softly to himself, glad that the raven cared that much about his things.

Reborn peered over the dorm as well to examine the damage he knew he helped create. Many of the furniture had been overturned in the struggle and some were even broken with a body in the center of it. The walls had cracks within it with some of the paint crumbling off or dents where Reborn had thrown one of the Assurers at. He momentarily pulled off his fedora to run a hand through his hair, sighing at the destruction. Perhaps having a fight within an enclosed area wasn't the smartest idea, but it wasn't as if he had a choice on the location. Still, he knew it was partially his fault while the rest remained on the older idiotic brother.

Snapping his fingers, the shadows in the room got to work, moving everything back to where it was originally even if it was broken, but left the bodies where they were at. He didn't want to bother with them at all, they were enemies after all. He couldn't fix everything like the walls or the broken furniture sadly. It wasn't in his ability to do so. He turned to the blonde with accusing eyes, tucking his fedora back into the top of his head. "And what are you planning on doing?"

"What do you think? I'm staying for a little longer. Someone needs to watch over Tsuna and teach him the right way to do things. And it can't be you," Giotto's eyes were now blue and the flames were fading away from his body, leaving the skin and hair underneath intact and unharmed. "And there are a few things I need to talk to you about."

Tsuna just sighed at the obvious glaring between the two, nodding his head to give Giotto the permission to do whatever he wanted. The blonde would have done so without him, but it was better this way. As he left the room to start lunch in the kitchen, no longer wanting to deal with his brother at this moment, he could hear some yelling in the background and shook his head in amusement, knowing that the fighting wasn't going to end anytime soon. At least, he was certain that there wouldn't be any more physical battles since Reborn's strength had beaten everyone single-handedly.

Eventually, the raven was the first to enter the kitchen, taking his fedora off, and placed it onto the kitchen table to get away from the idiot behind. He slumped into one of the seats, getting a direct view of both sides, and mentally sighed in frustration. Apparently, dealing with the older brother was really grating on his nerves. To keep his mind occupied from doing terrible things to the unnamed person, he turned his eyes towards Tsuna to watch him work with a small smile slipping on as he did so, watching the concentration on the brunet's forehead. Giotto, on the other hand, went to check up on his Assurers, leaving the two on their own for the moment.

Tsuna almost sighed again; it was going to be a hectic day. He just knew it.


	25. Chapter 25

Tsuna feared for the worst when his brother sat down at the other side of the table, purposely facing Reborn with their eyes matching each other within seconds. He could imagine the glaring, the arguments, everything, within a short-time frame and tried to focus on the food before him, hoping to use it to keep them distracted from each other. With that thought on mind, he tried to speed up the process of his cooking by turning up the heat. Still, regardless, the brunet wanted nothing more than to sigh in misery. Though he was technically twenty-one in age, he sometimes felt like he was younger around Reborn because of the way he got treated. But around two bickering people, he felt like he was actually the adult, looking down at them with those eyes a parent would give to their disobeying child. Of course, he was ignored immediately and the two amazingly remained quiet, not yet voicing their opinions.

Still, there was some glaring and it was an improvement compared to before when they appeared like they were about to wring each other's neck out of frustration and anger. The brunet quickly finished up the meal, something quick and small: fried rice. He added some sliced pieces of chicken and beef into the mix, green onions, carrots, peas, and eggs, stir-frying it altogether with oil and light soy sauce to make the perfect quick lunch. The wonderful smell of his cooking radiated around the room, the soy sauce sizzling at the heat, and it was like the two men behind him had relaxed at the thought of their stomachs being filled. Tsuna smiled, looks like his older brother was still fond of his cooking even after all these years. It was the only thing Giotto actually said something good about. But that might be because the cooks back home didn't exactly always cook what the older brother wanted, they were generally catering towards his parent's tastes with the fancy snails and fish dishes.

Scooping the fried rice onto three separate plates with an extra one on the side for Colonello, he carefully placed the plates in front of each person with a spoon on the side. Steam floated up from the mass array, fading when it got too high up into the air, and the smell emitted around the room wonderfully. Tsuna smiled. "Well, I hope you enjoy this meal. No fighting at the table all right?"

Giotto gave a small huff, turning his attention towards the dish before him, and peered up momentarily to observe Reborn. The raven simply ate without care, clearly enjoying his meal, and immediately gave a compliment towards his Capturer at how delicious it tasted. Tsuna just gave a tender smile in the Assurer's direction, a faint redness on his cheeks, and stuffed his mouth to prevent himself from stuttering or saying something stupid. Seeing all that before him, the blond gave in and began to eat, taking that first spoonful of rice to chew. There was a slight pause as he tasted the delicious food, taking in the even mixture with glee, trying to prevent himself from actually showing on his face, and licked his lips. He continued the pattern, no one really speaking to each other, all enjoying the temporary silence during meantime. Only the clicks of the spoon hitting the plates were heard and some chair movements for those that were getting up for something to drink or napkins.

'Well, so far so good,' Tsuna thought as he placed the cleared dishes into the sink, washing anything dirty to keep his kitchen clean. It always annoyed him whenever there was a mess. His eyes peered back at the two, who had gone back to glaring at each other, and sighed again. 'Maybe not. Well, at least they aren't attacking each other.'

Reborn peered up at the brunet for a moment and rubbed the bottom of his chin, deep in thought. There were a few things he needed to ask (demand) from the older sibling, but there was no way he could with Tsuna listening. This conversation must be private and having Tsuna eavesdropping in might give him ideas he didn't need to have or get information he didn't need to know about just yet. Therefore, a distraction was needed. But what would work? His eyes trailed over the entire place in an effort to brainstorm some plots. School was already out of the question, the house had been cleaned up, and groceries were fully stocked. There wasn't much he could get Tsuna to do…except for one thing. Well, Tsuna has always been a simple person. "Tsuna," The younger man peered over curiously, blinking his eyes. "Go take a shower; you look like you need it."

The brunet tilted his head in confusion, looking down at himself to check, but found nothing wrong. "Huh? No, I'm okay." Shaking his head to deny the accusation, Tsuna peered worriedly between the two.

Giotto, catching on to what Reborn was trying to do, snapped his eyes up to help further the distraction. "Tsuna, go take a shower. We'll be fine here, there's something we need to talk about."

'I have a feeling this is about me.' Tsuna sighed. "And I can't be included?"

"No."

Sighing again, the younger sibling glanced towards Reborn as well, who was nodding his head in confirmation. "I…see. Fine, I don't know what you two are planning, but I expect no violence or yelling. The moment I hear something funny, I'm coming out immediately. But Reborn," He stepped closer to the raven in concern. "You will tell me what's going on later, right?"

"Of course." If Reborn had his fedora on, he would have tilted it by habit, but it was on the table where it had been placed. Instead, he kept his arms crossed against his chest.

"Fine." With that, having no choice, Tsuna went into the bedroom to grab a change of clothes. It was still silent and he expected it to be, seeing as they were waiting for him to disappear into the bathroom. Stepping inside, he locked the door behind and twisted the knob in the shower to get it running. With that going on, he could no longer hear what was going outside anymore, only the pitter-pattering of the water hitting the floor. There was no doubt that it sucked being left out, knowing that the conversation was going to be about him, and he didn't like it. But for now, he'd allow it to happen. He trusted Reborn after all. 'Still, he had better tell me what's going on later or else I'm not going to be cooking for him for the next few days.'

"Giotto," Reborn spoke the moment he knew Tsuna can no longer hear, though he couldn't help but feel a small suppressed shiver run down his spine. He felt the thoughts of a threat from his Capturer, what it was exactly, he wasn't sure. But Reborn has a strong on what it's about. Damn, and he liked eating Tsuna's food too. His eyes momentarily glanced down his contract tattoo on his right arm and raised an eyebrow at it before turning back to the blond. "I need to ask you something."

The blond Capturer snorted, folding his arms across his chest, and leaned back against his seat. He still looked disgruntled at having to actually talk to the raven, his pride still hurt from his easy defeat, and the Assurer kept constantly making sure that the two siblings were never alone. "And I should answer because?"

"Because you're the only one that probably know more about Tsuna's condition. If I had a choice, I wouldn't be asking."

Giotto hummed to himself, sipping onto the tea his brother had made for him to keep the room silent, his mind going over the pros and cons of going along with this conversation. In the end, the pros won out and he nodded his head. For him, it was a good chance to find out what was going on between his brother and this Assurer.

"You wield the heaven element, the rarest and most powerful of all the attributes, is there any chance it could have been passed on?" Reborn immediately started, staring at the blond with heavy eyes, watching and observing for any movement or indication of lies. The other simply stared back, a little startled, but nodded his head. "Then what is the ability you gained out of that element?"

Giotto narrowed his eyes at that, almost glaring, he is a business man. He knew when there was something suspicious going on. "I'll tell you what you need to know if you tell me what you know. Deal?" The raven nodded to that, he needed evidence to work with before making any decisions. There was something odd going on with Tsuna and he wanted to find out. And a last resort is to consult with Verde, something he didn't want to do at all, especially not involve Tsuna. "My grandfather, our bloodline in a sense, wields the heaven element, he gained the ability to see through everything, something akin to intuition, but much stronger. It had helped him make the Vongola so successful during the time he had taken over. It wasn't passed on to my father sadly, which may have been a good thing because that man was an idiot, but to me since I gained the same ability and more. I was able to use the heaven element in combat by making it appear on my hands and forehead. This allowed me to fight alongside my Assurers. Apparently, somewhere along our family line, a Capturer and Assurer fell in love and produced a child that was in-between, so in other words, we can be considered half-breeds. But for how it occurred, no one really knows, it was a long time ago and most of our blood now has been diluted out by the human part of us. However, some bloods in each generation are stronger than others like in my case and others weaker or nonexistent like Dino's case."

The raven nodded to that, it wasn't impossible for things like that to occur, the interracial marriage. Since many of those that could wield magic at one point had Assurer blood within them, but due to remaining on Earth and marrying to the humans, the blood began to disappear, weakened to the point where it was almost nonexistent if it wasn't already. As to how these marriages occurred, it was normally between Capturer and Assurer relations that went beyond just normal partners. "Then it wouldn't be impossible for Tsuna to wield the heaven element as well."

Those words made Giotto freeze to his spot, blinking momentarily before looking right up. A dark passing look slipped through the cracks of his mask. "What do you mean?"

"I believe Tsuna has the ability to see the future," The blond was staring, looking like everything was crumbling down, though Reborn just smirked at the widening of those bright blue eyes. It was clear the other hadn't been expecting such a thing and just seeing that expression made him want to laugh. "Did Tsuna have nightmares often in the past?"

The blond nodded, trying to collect himself. "Yes, he had them many times when we were younger and still continues to do so. The doctors couldn't figure out why and we tried many different medications to make him sleep peacefully, but they all failed. My father, Iemitsu, he…" Giotto stopped at that, not wanting to continue on, but Reborn's desire for information was the tradeoff he needed to do. "Look, you're not to tell anyone about this, not even Dino knows about it, but it shouldn't matter now, considering no one would ever believe you. My father used to slip Tsuna sleeping pills back when he was younger to keep him asleep, either in his food or his drinks. It would work and my brother wouldn't wake up for the entire night."

Reborn almost broke the glass his fingers were gripping tightly against, a large crack appearing down it. Smaller ones seeped around the pressure points where the finger pads were at and the palm of his hand, not yet breaking all the way through. A dark sneer passed his lips. To get out of a nightmare, the only way was to wake up, and if Tsuna couldn't then…he had been trapped within them for hours, unable to escape until the medication weaned off. Well, that would explain some of the trauma.

"It no longer happened after four years since we moved Tsuna's room far away from everyone and now here in this school. If he did start screaming, no one would hear it," Giotto sighed, keeping his face straight, never revealing an ounce of emotion. "Let's move on. I know you have other things to ask and I'd rather not stay on this subject."

The raven was tempted to hit the other before him, to give a good punch to the nose, to beat that emotionless face off, and even more so, kill Iemitsu for being the asshole he was. "Fine," That word was grinded out, filled with evil intent, and a promise of destruction. "Did you ever notice that Tsuna generally had nightmares before something terrible happened?"

This made Giotto pause again, his eyes narrowing as he thought back into the past, and rubbed his chin carefully. He was thinking back, trying to remember the times Tsuna had come to him when they were children, crying about something he saw in a dream. But it was hard to remember simply because it had been so long ago and their father had already stepped in.

But… But there was one incident, no, _two_ that seemed to stick out… 'Oh.' Reborn noticed the realization appearing in those sky blue eyes, surfacing. It would appear the other was figuring something out. "I…remember one incident. It was quite odd and I never thought much about it a long time ago. But if what you're telling me is true then I shouldn't be surprised," Giotto hesitated as the memories of long ago slipped back into his mind. "When we were younger, Tsuna only being around five, he had a terrible nightmare and woke up screaming. It wasn't something uncommon to happen so no one really paid much attention to him, but we listened regardless, it wasn't as if we couldn't. He kept saying something about a car, rain, and something red. We didn't know what he had meant and I ended up being forced to make him stop. My parents no longer cared about him by then, how could they when their youngest was always screaming and crying?"

The blond ignored the glare from the raven, suppressing the instinct to shiver. He would show no openings to the other.

"Anyway, he refused to calm down and began to cry louder, it took almost all night to get him to stop. It was annoying, but the moment he fell back asleep, it started up again and he woke up screaming," Giotto sighed, running a hand through his blond hair. "Two days later, our grandparents on our mother's side were killed in a car accident when their car lost control due to rain water, went hydroplaning, and crashed into the back of a truck. They were killed instantly," The blond rested for a moment, still thinking, and then nodded his head as if he was reassuring himself. "After that…Tsuna never had another nightmare until much later."

Reborn closed his eyes, reopening them for a moment to check Tsuna's position, making sure the brunet was still in the bathroom, before continuing. "Then it looks like what I guessed is true, Tsuna's dreams allow him to see the future coming from his Heaven element inheritance. It's the only element that could allow such a thing, no other element can. However, those dreams only appear when terrible things might occur to him or perhaps even to someone else, which is why they are in the form of nightmares. He had one a few days ago about snakes and we were able to connect later on to the Melislitters. Apparently, he must have dreamed of what would have happened if none of us had interfered."

"Melislitters are a family with snake-like appearances, yes?"

"Correct."

"I see." Giotto closed his eyes for a moment, thinking about the situation. He was already trying to identify if such an ability could help him in the business world, with Vongola and help improve its function, but if Tsuna can only identify that someone would get endangered then it was practically useless. It couldn't tell if someone was going to betray him or if the stocks were going to go down. All in all, it meant nothing. How useless.

Reborn could see the gears in the blond's head moving and was tempted to lash out, but he stopped, resisting the motion. It was best if he didn't. It was already clear that Giotto held no true malice towards the youngest sibling and it was best to keep it that way. "This is a personal question I've been wanting to ask for a long time. Why _does_ your family hate Tsuna so much? Tsuna doesn't seem like the type of person that would purposefully make trouble for your family."

Giotto was tempted to groan loudly at that and took a deep breath, letting out as his shoulders slumped down. "I bear no hatred towards him; he's just an annoyance that if he stays out of my way, we won't bother each other. You are probably aware of Dino's adoration. As for the hatred, it's on our parent's side, Iemitsu and Timoteo mainly. My mother was influenced later by Iemitsu and was drowned in the thoughts of producing such a useless and freaky child as well. It ate her up from within leading her downhill. Iemitsu already had those thoughts long before anyone else and grandfather, Timoteo, once doted on Tsuna regardless of frequent nightmares." It was almost like a happy family with some issues here and there which wasn't uncommon. No family is perfect, every family has hatred, and every family has some love. It's a mix of everything.

Giotto kept going, it is the second incident, "But, there was an incidence in the past which truly changed everything. In a sense, it was the start of all the true hatred in our family. It was about a few months later after my mom's parents died that Tsuna had another nightmare. We were all having breakfast and he came busting in, screaming like normal. But this time, there was absolute terror in his eyes. Whatever nightmare he had that time was clear enough that he had seen what had actually happened and still remembered it clearly. He warned my father's mother, Timoteo's wife, about it in front of everyone. He told her that he had a nightmare where she was going to be killed, where she had been stabbed like those in the horror films we used to watch. All of us had heard it, but no one believed it like usual. It wasn't until two days later when Grandma went out to grab some new clothes for herself that it happened. The police came to our place and told us what had happened. It was the start of the chaos. Apparently, she had been found in a ditch, miles away from where she was murdered. She had multiple stab wounds, about thirty-six in total, over the chest and abdomen. The eyes had been ripped out, the hair shaved off, the feet amputated and found not too far away, the skin on her face torn out, the skull cracked open with the brain lying beside her, and she was lying there naked for the world to see. It was the work of a serial killer, who was found and killed on site after a few more bodies later. But no one, and I mean no one, could look at him normally after that. Years passed and Dino warmed up to Tsuna and I went on my merry way, but the rest of the family couldn't. Things began to combine together and fall apart."

Reborn stared for a few moments, remaining silent as he tried to process everything. It was too much and the incident just had to be the one to set everything off. He promptly kicked the table, listening to it rattle under the force. He hadn't expected for such a history to be the cause of the family problems towards Tsuna. But if that was the case, then it made things a lot more sense. "Damn…And the family never outgrew it."

"We kept up our appearances, most of the world didn't remember much less know that there is a third sibling, and we never let him show up at parties. And eventually, those that knew about Tsuna forgot about him. The only ones that knew about his relation were those that saw him in school."

The raven almost let out a frustrated growl, his hatred towards everything growing. "Then you shouldn't care that I plan on taking Tsuna with me to my world, far away from your family and their influence."

Giotto just shrugged his shoulders without a care; it was like he wasn't bothered by the idea of his younger brother disappearing for the rest of his life away from him. "That's fine with me; I'd rather have him not in this world anyway. The only ones that might have an issue with that are my father and grandfather. They might not be so pleased since they can no longer control the youngest," The blond huffed, "I take it that you got the idea from my older brother, Dino? He's been plotting for a long time about getting Tsuna away. He shares them with me since he knows I'm better at such things than he is and that I won't tattle."

"Even with Dino's involvement, I had every intention of stealing him away."

"I see, well then, you have my approval," Giotto gave a smirk and shifted slightly in his seat. "But before doing so, I'd like Tsuna to sign something before he goes."

"Sign?" Reborn narrowed his eyes at that in suspicion and unfolded his arms to lean against the table. "About what?"

"This is simply to reassure myself that there will be no future conflicts. It's a document that will detail Tsuna giving up his entire right to the companies our family is involved in. I don't want any issues later on when Tsuna comes in trying to claim a portion of the place. I doubt he would, but the future can change him or someone can come in trying to influence him."

"That should be fine with me. Tsuna has never been interested in the business world and if he stays with me, money wouldn't be an issue. My friends and I have more than enough to take care of him for a long time."

Nodding, Giotto folded his arms and stood up momentarily to get something to drink despite the tea he still had in front of him, which had gotten cold by now. He fumbled through the cabinets until he came to a clean glass and filled it with ice and water from the freezer side of the refrigerator. Taking a good sip, he let out a content sigh in relief before turning back to Reborn. "That's good then I leave him with you. If you take Tsuna away and have him sign the document, I'll keep my family off of him for the time being to the best of my ability. But just a warning, they can get quite persistent, especially my father."

The raven just smirked in amusement, his threatening aura clear as day to anyone. "I'd like to see him try. I took care of you and your Assurers, I can do the same to him. And your father is only human with nothing backing him power-wise."

"That is true, but if he gets desperate enough, things can happen," The Capturer just shrugged his shoulders to show that he didn't care much. He sat back down, placing the glass onto the table with a coaster underneath to protect the wood table. "But whatever, I do doubt he could stop you though considering the difference in strength."

At that moment, the door to the bathroom opened, a small head poking out curiously. The two at the table turned their attention towards the brunet, eyes watching the other curiously. Tsuna had just stepped out of the shower, feeling refreshed, and yet despite the time he took, he hadn't once felt a shift in the air. There was no cursing, no crashes, nothing, and he was concerned about that. It made him twitchy and uncomfortable, but even with that sensation flooding throughout his body; he didn't feel anything dangerous going on. Could the two really be having a conversation that didn't involve verbal or physical threats? How odd. With a towel around his shoulders to prevent his shirt from getting wet by his still-wet hair, he opened the door to take a look into the kitchen and stared back at the two pairs of eyes. Nothing. There was nothing wrong going on. And that was a strange sight to see.

Then Giotto stood up, strapping his cape around his shoulder. "Well then, I'd better get going. I see that I got what I needed and I have work to do. I'd rather not have my paperwork stacking up on me." There was a momentary twitch of annoyance, a crack within the blond's mask. Reborn couldn't help but let out a snort in amusement, finding it funny how the thought of paperwork could make the other fall apart. Was paperwork really that much of a nightmare? Good thing he never had to deal with any.

Tsuna immediately ran forward, catching himself right on time when he tripped, and rounded his older brother. "Ah, wait, Giotto," The older sibling waited, letting out a small 'hmm' from the back of his throat, and twisted around to look down at the youngest. "Do you want to take some snacks with you? It's a long trip back to the company, right? You'll get hungry."

Giotto raised his hand and waved. "No, I'll be fine. Do not be concerned with me. I am always prepared for such a case," Refusing to say anything else, he made his way over to the front door, letting out a slight wince when he tried to move his abdomen. The damage from his battle with Reborn was still there and he needed to be medically treated before something within his body stretched a little too much. 'Ah, better get Knuckle to heal me when I get into the car.' He gave a small hiss and touched the doorknob, creaking the door open. But before actually leaving, the blond rotated around one last time to look at the two. "Reborn, remember what I said, alright? Tsuna knows my personal cellphone number for whenever you're ready. If you cannot get to me at that time, then Dino will be your next best bet."

Nodding, Reborn is well aware of the confused look the brunet is sporting, looking between the two in question. It was clear he was going to be asked plenty of questions later on. When Giotto closed the door behind him, the raven turned his attention to his Capturer and was tempted to sigh, running a hand through his hair. Those large honey-colored eyes were sometimes hard to resist and in his attempt in misdirecting that gaze, he flicked the forehead. A small 'eep' escaped the brunet's lips, slamming his eyes closed shut, and Reborn immediately stepped away, smirking the entire time. "I'll tell you later. But don't be too concerned about it. It's simply a deal that when I take you away to my place, he wants you to sign a waiver that you don't want to be involved with the family affairs."

"Oh…" Tsuna paused for a moment, his mind working on those words. He knew what it meant if he signed such a thing and he knew the consequences. But it didn't matter much to him, power and money meant nothing. Sure, it helped him live comfortably, but it wasn't exactly needed, not if he was planning on staying with Reborn and the others. Giving out a small smile, he nodded his head. "That's fine with me. I'd rather not get involved."

"Good," Reborn gave another flick to the forehead, hearing another startled 'eep' from the other. "Now, since you were going to make Giotto snacks, I'd like to have some."

"Yes, yes."


	26. Chapter 26

"Giotto, I heard that you went to see Tsunayoshi," The blonde lifted up his head as an older man stepped in his office, his expression neutral as he looked over the person before him. He sat up instantly, straightening his back, and gave a glance towards G, who looked like he was going to have a fit. Giotto peered back at the man, his father, and nodded his head to confirm the notion. "I see, tell me, how is he?"

"He's doing fine; I saw nothing worthwhile to report." He pushed aside his work, folding his arms across the table. There was no change in his expression, nothing to give himself away. Nothing was going to get pass him, nothing at all. G made a 'tch' from the side, cradling the paperwork closer to his body, and placed an arm against his hip.

Iemitsu glared at the redhead who was beside his middle son before turning back to him. "Any contracts yet?"

There was no hesitation within Giotto's eyes. " _No_."

At that, his father's mood shifted. He stomped a foot down onto the carpeted floor, glaring at something at his feet, and sneered angrily. "That useless child, he can't even do something right. I should have known better than to listen to Dino in sending him there. Maybe I should just recall him and toss Tsunayoshi out into the streets to starve."

Giotto almost wanted to sigh, resisting the motion of squeezing the center of his nose. "No, leave my younger brother where he's at. It's better if he remains there out of our way. If the press were to get wind that you've kicked Tsunayoshi out, it'll look bad on us and may very well harm our good name." The blonde leaned back against his chair, looking comfortable in his cushioned seat, and continued to stare with neutral eyes, never once leaving his father's form.

Iemitsu grinned, his mood lightening up. "Yes, you're right. If the press did learn of this, it'll hurt our good names and in turn the business, good call. I'm glad that you're still up to my expectations unlike your older brother, Dino. That idiot thinks he can do whatever he wants with what little power he has. I know that he's been trying to protect my youngest; I'd be a fool to not realize it. Well then, I'd better get going, I'll need to report my findings to your grandfather." With that, the man left, leaving Giotto and G alone in the president office in silence.

It took a while before G spoke up, wanting to make sure that Iemitsu was far away, and looked over to the blonde in question. "You didn't tell your father the truth."

"Obviously," Giotto smirked, his expression cracking from its previous state, and reached over to grab his cell phone, dialing out a number he knew by heart. Having it on speaker phone, he listened to the ringing while ignoring G's questioning glances towards him. "I made a deal with Tsuna's Assurer, Reborn, to keep my family off of him. But I'm also going to place a bet here and see how things go along. If it works out then that's fine with me, if not, I won't lose anything."

"Giotto." G looked at his Capturer in worry, knowing his friend was placing a high risk on his situation, regardless of his words.

At that, the phone was answered and a familiar voice popped through. "Hey, little brother! How've you been? Did you need something from your big brother?"

"Dino, I need to tell you something," At the sound of his voice, he knew he had shut his older brother up, getting him serious for the conversation ahead. "Father is asking about Tsunayoshi, you've visited him as well, haven't you?"

There was only silence on the other side and some movement like Dino was walking down some pathway. Giotto smirked, he knew very well his brother had been trying to keep the surprise visits silent, but it wasn't hard to find out when he talked to the president of the school. He had always known that his older brother was the too kindhearted and far too forgiving one between them, but that was what he liked about him the most. Dino was someone he could easily confer with and not have to worry about anything else.

"You saw his Assurer, correct? This Reborn."

"Yes, I did. Such a powerful Assurer, I could literally feel his power despite not being a Capturer. There are also another he made a contract with the last time I called him."

"I figured. Reborn defeated all of my Assurers and myself by himself despite the fact that we fought all at once," He could hear a small outcry, a few worried questions at his condition, but Giotto simply cut him off. "I'm fine and so are the others, though some in worse condition, but they'll live. Anyway, I decided to investigate this Reborn and Alaude managed to find something out. It wasn't hard however since this Meraviglian was well-known in name. He's Reborn of the Arcobaleno. Looks like our little brother has found an extremely powerful ally…and friend just as you had hoped for."

There was a pause on the other side, but Giotto could sense what was going on and through Dino's mind. He could practically feel the happiness that was radiating through the device despite no one spoke for a few moments. Eventually, the blonde got himself together. "A-Are you serious? An Arcobaleno? Wow…"

"It looks like your wish has finally come true. Our little brother has contracted with someone so powerful that even father and grandfather cannot stop him," Giotto smirked, well aware that G was watching him as well in curiosity. Apparently, he had never told his Assurers of what Dino had been planning on all this time. Oh well, it just meant some simple explanations he'll need to give out later on. "That was what you have wished for all this time. That's why you place Tsunayoshi in that school. It seems your plan has finally worked out."

"Yes…" There was affection in that voice, Dino sounding like he was about to cry at any moment, but Giotto knew better. The blonde wasn't in a setting where he could let loose. "Yes, it has, I'm so proud of him. Perhaps now he can finally be free and be allowed to do whatever he wants. I've always wanted to see my little brother's artwork in a show or see him work as a top chef."

The younger blonde didn't respond to that, peering up at his door for a moment, before sighing. He held his breath and let it out as another sigh. Giotto had a bad feeling ever since his father had entered the room and it hadn't left him quite yet. He didn't like the glint in Iemitsu's eyes as his father walked away. "Brother, watch father. I have a terrible feeling that he'll be acting on his own soon."

"Giotto, have you…"

"No, I've made a deal with Reborn, I'll tell you about it later. How this works out I do not know, but for now, I shall lend my support to you. That is all."

"I see, thanks, brother."

"Goodbye." With that, the conversation ended with a quick press of a button, Giotto smirked as he leaned back into his chair, thinking over everything that had happened during the past few days. He smirked with his hands on his lap. Looks like things would be getting very interesting soon. As he did that, he momentarily turned to G with a soft smile. "Don't worry, I'll tell you what's been happening. You're welcome to tell the others, but it needs to be kept only between you and them, no one else is allowed to know. Still, it would appear that my brother will no longer need my handpicked Assurers. I had hoped to use them as reassurance since it would be troublesome if Tsuna got himself kidnapped. Your cousin, Gokudera Hayato, is free as well as everyone else. They can do what they want. They can remain at that school to blend in with the humans, come back here or go home. I have no desire to control them."

"Giotto…"

* * *

When Skull had woken up that morning, he had expected many things to occur at once. Why? Because it was just a norm, though that was beginning to change with three of the members of the group heading off to stay with that human brunet. He couldn't really blame them. Tsuna could really cook up some good food, food no one had really eaten in years. So when he stirred awake, he had expected some arguments downstairs with people fighting over who should cook and whatnot along with some crashes and terrible smells radiating into his room. But there was nothing. Just silence.

Skull blinked his eyes, raising an eyebrow as he stared up at the ceiling. Now _that_ was very unusual. Slowly, he sat up, wondering it if was just him imagining things. But nope, there was only silence. And instead, a wonderfully delightful smell was coming through his door, wonderful enough that it made his stomach growl immediately for attention.

'But who would be able to cook like that…' Shuffling his feet over the side of the bed, he rubbed the back of his head, listening to it crack as he stretched backwards. Letting out a loud yawn, he got himself prepared for the day, pulling on some regular clothes from his drawers and closet. It consisted of plain blue jeans and a t-shirt with a skull on the back, nothing like the normal jumpsuit he would wear whenever he had plans on going biking or doing a job. Today was a rest day for him and he wanted to make the most of it while it lasted…except he hadn't expected such a wonderful smell to make its way into his room.

After doing his regular morning routine of putting on his jewelry and other stuff, he exited his bedroom and made his way down the stairs. His footsteps were audible and, as he made his way down, moving to the first floor of the house, he went straight to the kitchen to see what was going on. When he peeked in, he didn't expect to see the entire group that had gone to stay with Tsuna to be here with the brunet himself at the stove. His purple eyes blinked, and then blinked again. 'Whoa…'

He peered among the group curiously, observing all three men at the table, who were sitting quietly with a cup filled with some sort of drink in front. Reborn was at his corner, his fedora off on the table and his tie loose, drinking a mug of hot coffee and was clearly enjoying it by the way he was nursing the drink. Colonello had a similar cup of coffee, but was drinking it down rapidly, while Fong was calm like always. The fox had a pot of tea, freshly brewed, with a green porcelain cup in his hands that was currently lying on the table. If anything, the setting before him was calm, nothing was out of place beside the fact that none of these members could be together so quietly before without some sort of madness going on.

It was then that Tsuna, who had clearly taken over the kitchen, turned around to see the purple-haired man. "Oh, hello. Come and have a seat." The brunet called out, looking over the other before him with a smile. He was currently frying something in one of the large pans, the sizzling sound evident to Skull's ears.

The purple-haired man eyed the food that was already on a plate, which was quickly getting stacked up with the way Tsuna easily tossed in the dough and took out the finished ones. And there was bacon on the other pan, cooking, probably the main reason for the delicious smell. Another pan had a giant pile of scrambled eggs, mixed with some milk and pepper, and when Tsuna wasn't working on any of the other two, he would use the spatula to push it around so that nothing would be burned. All in all, everything looked wonderful. His stomach growled in response, cueing a blush across his face. Of course, everyone else heard it, too.

Colonello grinned, laughing at the embarrassment, "Don't worry, Skull, I think we understand what you're thinking, kora."

"S-So!" Skull yelled out, storming into the room with his arms wrapped around his stomach protectively. "It can't be helped! I mean, the food just smells so good!"

"That's something we can all agree on." Fong interrupted with a smile, bringing his cup up to drink. Reborn remained to the side, continuing with his own, and would demand a refill the moment he saw Tsuna free. The brunet brought the still hot pot over, pouring the black liquid into the raven's cup and some into Colonello's as well. When he believed that all was good, Tsuna spun around to Skull.

"Skull, right?"

"That's the awesome me!" Skull grinned, leaning forward as he sat down into one of the seats, right beside Colonello.

Tsuna didn't skip a beat. "Would you like something to drink? Coffee perhaps?"

"Um…Yeah, sure."

There was another smile from the brunet before he went back to work on the food, clearing the pans of the current batch to add more. To anyone else, it looked like he was cooking a meal large enough to feed a house of twenty people instead of eight from the way everything was stacking up on top of each other. The fried dough balls finished first, a mountain of them all on one plate. There were about sixty packed together, covered lightly with white powdered sugar. The scrambled eggs were next, shuffled off onto a separate plate. As the bacon continued to sizzle on the pan, Tsuna took that chance to grab another cup and bring it over for Skull, leaving the pot of coffee there on the table just in case since he didn't want to make any more repeated trips.

Skull stared down at the offered drink and immediately took it with glee, enjoying the rich taste. He didn't really like it bitter though, but at least the coffee was still good. He got out the cream and sugar, evening out the taste, and ignored the stares from Colonello, who clicked his tongue at all the additives. Still, he found it odd to have an extra person in the house after so many years, but not that it was entirely bad.

Reborn peered up from his cup and smirked, glancing at the lackey for a moment. It was clear the other was already growing comfortable with Tsuna nearby, unbothered. 'Well, looks like there will be four people in agreement soon.' Taking another sip, he momentary thought back on his explanation with the other two about what had happened with Giotto. Both of them hadn't taken it all too well, but absorbed the information regardless, finding it more useful than they originally thought. Things had been explained and talked more into depth, getting some badly needed answers to shed light on certain subjects. But there were a few things that were clear: the family was nuts and Tsuna needed to move in with them as soon as possible. There had been no disagreements among the three men.

The moment the bacon was done, Tsuna began to bring all the plates together, listening to them click on the table as he sat them down. Fong stood up during that process to grab extra plates for everyone along with some forks, wanting to help out instead of just idly sitting to the side. The brunet smiled as he peered over the scene, "Well, dig in. Just make sure to leave enough for the others. Do you know when they might show up?"

"Afraid not," Fong settled back into his seat and used a spoon to scoop the scrambled eggs onto his own plate. "Verde doesn't come out of his place much, Viper likes to sleep in, and Lal is probably out training like usual, but she should be coming in any moment."

"Oh!" Colonello suddenly cried out, his bright blue eyes focusing on the little fried dough balls. "There are blueberries in this, kora."

Tsuna chuckled, bringing a hand up to his lips, and watched the excitement slip through the eagle's eyes almost like a child. "They're called 'blueberry puppies'. They normally go with some cream cheese, but you don't have any here so I just worked with what I had. They can be used for either breakfast or dessert! Like, I can make red velvet cake puppies, too," There were sparkles in his eyes as he spoke, almost like he couldn't stop. "I wanted to add bits of ham and some vegetables into the eggs or some cheese, but those were all out. By the way, you guys are out of a lot of stuff so it might be best if you go shopping soon. If you like, I can make a list for you to use."

"Dude, how about we just give you the money and go wild with it, kora?"

"I think I like that idea better," Reborn snorted from the side, currently nibbling on a piece of crispy bacon. "Just don't forget to make some healthy foods, too."

"C-Can I really do that?" Those sparkles in his eyes were back and it was like Tsuna was itching to go shopping. The food on his plate, half-eaten, was already forgotten throughout the conversation. The four men at the table just nodded their heads, already deciding it was best if Tsuna did all the work in that department, even Skull. It wasn't as if they could do any better. "W-Would it be alright to do it after breakfast? That way I have enough time to come back and make something good for dinner. Lunch might be something small though."

"Skull can go with you on that. His form will make things easier to carry back."

"R-Reborn!"

"Wait, Reborn," Tsuna interrupted, gaining everyone's attention. "I'm going to be buying food for at least eight people if you include me along with extras that can hopefully last two to three weeks. That's too much for just two people to carry."

It was then that Reborn reached into the insides of his jacket, pulling out a small box that was purple in color, and tossed it to Tsuna. The brunet caught it immediately, stumbling with it back and forth in his hands, until it finally stabilized. Skull leaned over, just finished with his meal, and stared. "Hey, wait a minute! That's mine!" Tsuna blinked, looking between the device and Skull curiously. He had never seen such a box before and fingered it carefully as he listened to the purple-haired man yelled at the raven in the background. "Did you know this was going to happen? You must have! Because that was in my room earlier today! When did you take it?"

"When you were asleep."

"Y-You bastard! When did you sneak in?"

"When I got home. You didn't even wake up when I opened the door."

"Um…" The human leaned to the side, directly towards Fong, and continued to stare at the tiny box. It was about five inches on each side, perfectly square in shape, with the edges colored with a dark shade of purple. On one side, there was an opening in a shape of a circle right at the center, but there was nothing else. "Fong, what is this?"

The fox chuckled, finding the confused expression Tsuna was making a little adorable. "It's a useful device Verde created a long time ago. It can actually take in a large amount of items at once, which is why Reborn gave it to you. However, see the color of it?" Tsuna nodded his head. "It's purple for the type of element that can activate it. In this case, it's purple for the Hell element which is what Skull uses. So when he activates it, he'll point it towards the items that need to be contained and the device will pull it inside. Each one of us has one. It's quite useful at times."

"That's so cool!" Tsuna examined the device closer and touched the hole where he assumed was the entrance. 'Though why did Reborn say that Skull's form was easier to carry things when we're going to use this?' He was tempted to shrug his shoulders, pushing the question to the side. The arguing in the background between Skull and Reborn had finally finished with the raven kicking the other right in the forehead, a loud smack echoing in the room. There was a startled scream from the Hell element user and then a crash, a body colliding to the floor. Skull just stared up at the ceiling in confusion, muttering incoherent words under his breath in frustration as he realized what had happened.

It was then that Reborn's face appeared in his vision with a smug look on his expression. "Now you're going to do it whether you like it or not. Get used to having Tsuna around; he's going to be here more often."

The purple-haired man just grumbled under his breath some more and shuffled up back onto his seat. He reached over to grasp the device from the brunet, taking it gently, and placed it into his pocket. Just as he did that, the front door opened, revealing Lal dressed in a tank top and shorts. Her face was covered in sweat, still glistering in the sunlight behind, and droplets fell down the sides. Her tank top, navy blue in color, was sticking to her skin, curving around just right to reveal everything, but there were darkened spots where the sweat had gotten to. She stepped in, drinking a bottle of water to replenish what fluids she had lost during her workout and stopped at the doorway to the kitchen. Lal raised an eyebrow at the sight, taking in the setting. "So he's back."

"Hello," Tsuna smiled nervously, flinching back when he saw the woman turn her sharp gaze towards him. It wasn't as scary as Reborn's, but it still left an effect. "Would you like something to eat? There's plenty left here for you to have."

"Sure, why not." As the only female of the group made her way to the table, she said a few greetings towards the rest of the members of the table. Settling down, she placed her water bottle onto the table and immediately dug in, happily enjoying her meal for the time being. It was as good as the previous meal Tsuna had cooked the last time he had come over. The table went silent for the time being as everyone either finished up or simply sat sipping on the remaining drinks.

That was, until Reborn broke the silence. He reached into his pocket again underneath his jacket and this time produced a wallet. He pulled a single black card out and tossed it over to Tsuna. "Use that for the groceries. There's plenty of money on it since it's a shared account between all of us for the bills, but you can use it as your own since you're buying for everyone. The money you use on Earth is different here. We use the currency of Millo. And while you're at it, pick up some coffee beans for me." He watched as Tsuna picked up the black card carefully, holding it with care like it was going to dissolve or slip through his fingers like sand. The brunet nodded his head, understanding the directions, and quickly pocketed it with his own wallet. "I'll let Viper know since he handles all the bills for this place."

"Reborn, wait a minute!" Lal slammed her hands down onto the table, rattling it, and silencing everyone else. Tsuna and Skull jumped at the loud bang that resonated among the room, while the other three just stared ahead in question. The fluids in the various drinks vibrated from the center, none luckily spilling out. Her face was a deep red color from both the workout and anger. "What the hell are you doing? Why the hell are you giving the human all of our money?!"

"Ah, wait, Lal," Fong called out, being the mediator of the group, and went around, trying to calm the raging woman. "Tsuna here will actually be doing our grocery shopping for us. He'll also be cooking too so it's only right that he should get the money to do such things."

At those words, the female of the group immediately began to calm down, sinking back down into her seat. "Oh…" Those words whispered out and the new redness that was beginning to show came from embarrassment this time. "My mistake then. So Tsuna, right?" The brunet nodded his head. "So you'll be taking care of that department for us?"

Reborn smirked, sipping on his coffee for a few moments before pulling it away. He swirled the cup around in an effort to keep it from getting cooled too fast. "Yes, whenever he comes here, he'll be doing the cooking for all of us. It'll be a more permanent thing later on."

Two of the group snapped over to him, staring. "Wait? What?"

"I'm planning on having Tsuna stay with us."

"Absolutely not!" Lal yelled out, once more slamming her hands down onto the table, hard enough to shake the group once more. The raven immediately rolled his eyes, not bothered by the lash, and continued to sip on his coffee without a care in the world. "We can't allow someone like _him_ to stay with us. He'll be a liability and an endangerment to us all."

Reborn snorted at that, keeping calm despite the raging woman before him. "I doubt it." With Tsuna's ability to dream and able to keep everyone happily fed, he would be more useful than anything else. The raven was getting tired of having to be forced to eat out or even flirt with some Meraviglians, either male or female, whoever could cook, just to get something good to eat. Sometimes, he had to suffer through the nonsense they gave him just to get a taste of anything besides Verde's insufferable ingredients or Fong's overly spiciness.

"Reborn, we can't have any weaknesses that can be taken advantage of. We'll become easy for the picking to the Millefiore or any other group out there that wants to topple us!"

"Though, technically, Millifiore has been pretty quiet these days. They haven't really been bothering us."

Tsuna blinked, tilting his head curiously and immediately voiced out his thoughts. "Wait…" Everyone paused at the argument, their eyes snapping towards the brunet. "Why would you be attacked?"

There was a silence that settled among the room, no one speaking up about it. Eyes trailed up to Reborn for a moment before backing down to the human. Fong finally had the nerve to speak up, "Wait…Reborn, you didn't…tell him?"

Reborn shrugged his shoulders. "Nope, he has no clue on who we are at all."

"Are you…serious?"

"Absolutely."

Fong peered back at the brunet, who is, by now, completely confused on what was going on. "So this whole time…I thought you knew!" More confusion followed. "Tsuna, our group is known as the Arcobaleno."

Tsuna stared and stared some more. "Huh?"

"The Arcobaleno, who are in the top ten percent of the Meraviglians, along with Millefiore. Though for the time being, we are at the very top in power. We are right now known as the most powerful group on our planet."

"HIIEEEE!"


	27. Chapter 27

Tsuna stared at the group before him, his eyes wide in shock, and for a moment, he forgot how to breathe. Nothing moved, _he_ didn't move, he just simply remained still, almost like a statue, as if afraid. The words repeated themselves within his mind, trying to gain some clarity. His blood ran cold, causing his skin color to pale drastically. A slight twitch at the side of his mouth was the only form movement from him. He could feel his heart picking up its pace, pounding against his chest as his mind tried to get its bearings over the situation. Finally, he took a breath, "You're the Arcobaleno?" There were some nods following that and then more silence as Tsuna thought back into his memories. No one spoke, giving time for the brunet to adjust to the surprise. While they waited, the Capturer reminisced to his previous encounters and the powerful abilities his friends held - _everything_. It was like something clicked, the pieces of the puzzle finally coming together to reveal the hidden picture. Tsuna peered up at the three he was familiar with, the ones who have been living with him for a while, and suddenly, he sighed. "Well… that certainly explains a lot."

"What? No, 'oh my god' or 'are you serious'?" Skull spoke out first, his expression practically screaming disbelief as he looked over the human. He –along with everyone else - had expected many things: yelling, accusations, _something_. Just… something and it certainly wasn't that.

"Um…" Tsuna scratched the side of his face lightly, giving himself more time to answer. After a few moments, he gave a nervous laugh to fill in the silence. It was too quiet. His honey-colored eyes began to drift as he spoke, not wanting to look at their faces, "W-Well, you being the Arcobaleno would make a lot of sense. Reborn _is_ too powerful to be a mere Meraviglian. A-And Colonello defeated a whole bunch of Meraviglians on that one mission all by himself when everyone else in my class was defeated."

"Or you just don't care that we're the Arcobaleno and never bothered to ask about it," Reborn huffed, shaking his head with a smirk. He reached over for his fedora that was still settled on the kitchen table. As his fingers grasped the rim, he lifted it up to place back in its rightful place: on his head. His spiky black locks were immediately squished underneath the fedora, effectively concealing most of his hair, while a few strands still managed to poke their way out. No one spoke in the meantime, knowing better than to interrupt Reborn whenever he had the stage. His right hand drifted downward to one of his curls and he twirled it around in a circle, letting it spring back into place the moment he pulled it. "Anyway, let's move on. There's no point in continuing this conversation."

"Well, since we're moving on. Reborn, why do you think he should stay here in the first place? I mean he's just a human. He can live on Earth and come back and visit anytime he wants," Lal stared at the said-human for a few seconds, narrowing her dark eyes as she tried to discern who exactly Tsuna was. He looked like any regular male, any regular human being from Earth. There was _nothing_ that made him stand out. He was just… ordinary. So then why was Reborn so adamant about having the other stay? It didn't make any sense, no matter how many times or various ways she examined it, it just didn't. After all, this wasn't something the raven would normally do. Lal knew that, she had been living with Reborn for years, and though she didn't understand him completely, it was usually enough to know what he was planning. This time, however, she couldn't grasp any aspect of the situation. "And anyway, if someone in the other groups find out, we'll be in trouble. We're already lucky as it is that Viper has been keeping the Varia off our tails by working for them." She paused for a moment to lift a hand up and let the side of her forefinger touch just below her rosy lips, deep in thought. "Though, I will be honest, for the past two to three years, they've been quiet. Actually, from what I've heard from Viper, they've been fighting with the Millefiore, not us, and the Varia is losing drastically against them."

"Wait…" Tsuna cut in, still looking pale as he spoke. No blood had returned to his face, leaving him completely white. It was like he couldn't get his body to work correctly, especially not when he found himself in such a sticky situation. "You said Varia, right?"

In that instant everyone's heads snapped towards his direction, even Reborn couldn't help but do the same. Their eyes examined the brunet carefully, as if he had spoken some forbidden spell, those who didn't know him sent out suspicious glares. Tsuna shivered under the gazes, shrinking downward into his seat and when he opened his mouth to speak, he clamped up. It was like something had lodged itself into his throat and wouldn't allow a single sound to escape. He didn't like those gazes. Another silence settled between them, the Arcobaleno were trying to discern what was going on while waiting for Tsuna to answer. Reborn, noticing the brunet's predicament, motioned for Fong's attention, and alerted him of the situation through eye contact. The fox having understood the message and the fact that he was the closest to the brunet, leaned over and touched his shoulder gently. There was a flinch, honey-colored eyes glancing over, however Fong's warm smile seemed to give the effect it needed. "Tsuna, you… you know who the Varia is?"

Nodding his head rapidly, the Capturer proceeded to spill the details. "Yes, they're a division under my grandfather, or they were. Xanxus is the leader of the group and there's a man named Squalo as his second-in-command. They're humans with some extraordinary fighting abilities, but they are still no match to the Meraviglians unless they bring out some of their own… except most of them don't have that ability. They kinda do the dirty work in our world, but I wouldn't be surprised if they do the same here." Tsuna paused, taking a deep breath as he tried to calm himself. He could tell there were some accusatory gazes directed his way and continued speaking to keep his mind off them, "Xanxus is… my uncle, in a way. My grandfather adopted him into the family a long time ago. He always got into arguments with Timoteo and Iemitsu since the beginning, but he loves the family itself as a whole, he just has some… temper issues."

The Arcobalenos took in the information in hush, glancing at each other curiously. It was obvious they hadn't known about that, even Reborn. "Your grandfather?" Skull spoke up next, his voice not as childish as it was earlier. It had darkened - it was too show how serious he had become.

Tsuna, of course, continued, "My grandfather, Timoteo, or Nono, is the ex-boss of Vongola. My older brother, Giotto, is the current head of Vongola as Decimo. From what I've managed to hear during my stays at the main house, when my brother took over, he made changes within Vongola and any division connected to it. He attacked the core of Vongola and planted his own ideals instead in an effort to change everything. Because Vongola has some… underground operations, he wanted to change them for the better," Tsuna shrank down into his seat as if he was trying to hide while his fingers were placed together in his lap, distraction him from all the attention. His hair was also trying to look as small as possible despite the impossibility considering the workings of his genetics. "S-Sometimes when I visit during the holidays, I can hear my father and grandfather arguing with Giotto over his ideals."

"Wait, wait, _wait_!" Lal called out, jumping up from her seat to point towards the brunet, who immediately flinched back in return. Imaginary fire burned around her, revealing her rage for all to see while Tsuna looked like nothing more than a cowering, shivering animal. He let out a squeak and shifted slightly as if attempting to hide behind Fong for cover. "Are you telling me that you're related to the enemy?! Now I really don't want you staying here! You'll be endangering all of us."

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't know you were enemies with them. I didn't know you were actually the Arcobaleno until just now!"

Unexpectedly, Fong raised his right hand up, silencing Lal, and glanced over momentarily at Tsuna, giving a warm smile to help calm him down. Once his influence took effect and Tsuna relaxed, the Chinese-looking man let out a heavy sigh, rubbing the same hand through his bangs as he pushed them upward and away from his face. "Sorry, Tsuna but I must ask you this as well. Do you know anything about a group called CEDEF? They haven't bothered us, but I've heard they've been getting into a fight lately with the Varia. This is probably one of the reasons why they're getting distracted from fighting the Millefiore."

Tsuna bit down on his bottom lip and slowly nodded his head, "Yeah… that group. That's another division of Vongola, it's actually run by my… father," A few flinched at that, at least, those that knew about Tsuna's relationship with the man. Reborn was the only one who didn't cringe, but he still released a growl, his fingers twitching as if he wanted his gun to materialize just so he could fire at something. It was enough for those who didn't know anything to keep their mouths shut, they were smart enough to do so, especially when there was a threat hanging in the air. "CEDEF is more of an intelligence-based group than brawn like the Varia. But they've been arguing with each other for a long time since the Varia now wants to follow my brother's ideals, throwing away Nono's, while CEDEF wants to remain separate with their own like they were with Nono. It's a tug-of-war type deal."

"And you know all this? How? I mean, you've been separated from all of them for a while."

At that, Tsuna scratched the side of his face, some blood finally returning to his features. "The…maids and butlers at home tell me everything whenever I visit. They always seemed to like me the best out of my family and they always know what's going on. Nothing really escapes them so within an hour or so, I'm caught up on everything that had happened throughout the entire year, even if it's only minor. And then there's someone else that gives me a call here and there. It's rare now, since the last call I got from him was about a year ago. His name is G, he's my brother's right-hand man and Assurer, and he's decided to take it upon himself to make sure that I'm informed on what's happening, well, if it's important at least. He doesn't want me to get myself kidnapped and get used as blackmail. This is also another reason as to why my father doesn't want me going anywhere since such a thing could easily happen or I could sell out the family information. By the way, Reborn, G was the redhead with the facial tattoo that you defeated."

"Doesn't want you selling out your family's information? Like what you're doing now?" Reborn raised an eyebrow, giving a sinister smile. For a moment, he looked absolutely evil as he folded his arms and leaned back against his chair. His fedora was tilted to the side in just the right position to cast that dark shadow over his eyes.

"Huh? What?" Tsuna blinked rapidly for a few moments as he let the information settle, not realizing what he had been doing. The second he did, he gave a look of absolute horror and rapidly shook his head in disagreement, waving his arms in front. "N-No! Not like that! I-I mean I'm telling you because you wanted to know! I'm not doing it for money or anything like-"

The raven raised his hand up, chuckling in amusement, glad to see that Tsuna' fear had slipped away at long last. "I know what you meant. I was just teasing you."

"O-Oh…" Shrinking down into his chair, the brunet gave a depressed huff as his shoulders slumped downwards. Colonello and Skull gave a small chuckle at the dejected expression, finding it completely hilarious. For the purple-haired man, it was nice to see someone else getting teased instead of him.

"Anyway, Lal," Reborn's deep voice broke the laughter, shifting slightly in his seat as he glanced down at his already cooled cup of coffee. It was still half full, but he was in no mood to drink, not when the conversation had taken a serious turn. "You might not know, but both Colonello and I are contracted with Tsuna." He ignored the falling expressions on the two who hadn't known and continued speaking with an arrogant smirk, "And I'm quite certain that Fong will be giving up his pretty soon as well considering how fond he is of Tsuna."

At those words, the fox blinked his eyes twice before he felt his cheeks heating up, stuttering out a jumble of letters in an effort to deny that accusation. However, nothing that came out made sense. It was only because deep within, it was true. Though it hadn't been that long, he had come to care for Tsuna. It was hard not to. The brunet was just so likeable, always willing to please. The fox's shoulders slumped in defeat and coughed, turning away from the Capturer, who was staring at him in both question and wonder.

Reborn went on, his dark eyes trained on Lal only. "Look, I wouldn't offer Tsuna our place if I didn't know his situation. I wouldn't purposefully endanger all of us."

The blue-haired woman wiggled her nose, agreeing with that logic, and grumbled under her breath. "That's true. You _are_ the one who looks out for us best despite your terrible ways," Reborn just smirked, folding his arms against his chest like he had won the entire argument, which, in this case, he had. Lal sighed heavily, leaning back against her chair as she relaxed. "Alright, Tsuna can stay here as long as he doesn't cause any trouble. The moment he does, he's got to go."

"Fine with me."

"Um…" Tsuna peered between the two group members, raising his hand up with hesitation. "Do I…get any say in this?"

"No."

"Oh…"

* * *

Tsuna peered around the grocery store curiously, all awhile, trying to keep his attention solely on the items before him or in his hands. Though sometimes, he found that too difficult and he couldn't blame himself for staring. It was hard not to when there were so many Meraviglians that weren't exactly in a human form walking around him as if there was nothing wrong. Their bodies were different in proportions, some with tails poking out, others with horns on their head. It was a weird sight to see.

Well, it was most likely a normal thing for this world considering the population consisted of entities sporting these appearances. If anything, Tsuna was the oddball in the group since he was human both in race and form. As much as the brunet found that fact disturbing, he tried his best to ignore it and focused on the task at hand; tossing items into his cart as he continued shopping. He disregarded the shuffling of limbs around him, the whispers, and some of the stares. Still, there were times when he couldn't help but shiver under the gazes, hating the attention he was receiving. The food in his current cart began to pile up quickly and before long, he had to exchange the full cart for Skull's empty one. The Hell-attribute user gave was sulking in the background, sporting an expression that made him appear quite miserable with his downturned lips.

"Are you done yet?" The purple-haired man pouted, leaning against the metal cart to keep himself up. When Tsuna didn't answer at first, he whined again. It was clear his childish personality had sprung back into existence.

"Not yet. I'm afraid I still have plenty to go through," Tsuna peered over with a smile, knowing very well he was taking plenty of time. They had already been here for an hour and he was still counting. "Sorry though. There's just too much stuff to go through and I'm not familiar with all your products. They look the same as on Earth, but some are actually different, and please remember that I'm buying for eight people, not just one or two."

"Aww…" Skull continued to sulk, pressing himself harder against the metal cart in an effort to keep himself up and moving. It was clear that he was beginning to feel sleepy just by the way he was slanting to the side. He was weary just from standing around, moving up and down the aisles wasn't helping either. His feet began to drag behind, slowly gaining distance from the brunet. Eventually, he sat down at one of the empty edges where the groceries would normally be put, in an attempt to provide his feet with a rest, and stretched backwards with a loud yawn escaping his lips. "I'm just going to wait here, you go on ahead. Let me know whenever you're done."

Tsuna shook his head in amusement and continued to pile everything on top of one another, quickly filling the cart to halfway within moments. It wasn't hard considering how much he needed for each and every item he bought. Soon he made his way down the next aisle, leaving the purple-haired male on the other side. He continued on his course, moving from that section to the next, making sure to read the descriptions on the boxes just in case it mentioned something different. He had already had one misunderstanding with a bag of chips; what he had thought was just a cute picture of an animal advertising the product was actually the flavoring. As he got to the snacks section, about four rows over from Skull's spot, he peered up to look at some of the chocolates that lined the top shelf. He had to tilt his head to read the titles and prices that belonged to each one. However, when he turned around to face the other side, he found himself accidentally bumping straight into someone.

"Ah, sorry about that." Tsuna rubbed his nose and blinked rapidly as he stepped back, gaining some distance from the person he might have offended. His eyes peered towards the Meraviglian he most likely had hit and straightaway slanted his head curiously.

"It's fine. No harm done." The man standing there just chuckled, his eyes closed shut as if amused by something. Narrowing his eyebrows as he listened to the voice, Tsuna examined the man before him. No, the person before him was definitely someone who was native to this planet, he could just tell, but the man had the appearance of a regular human. Deciding to examine the being further, Tsuna glanced over the spiky white hair that looked like it had been bleached of all possible color and the pale skin. The man was about a head taller than Tsuna himself and his eyes opened to reveal pale purple orbs. He also had a strange purple tattoo under his left eye. Tsuna continued to look over the Meraviglian with interest, taking in the oddly tattered clothes that were a mix of black and white. "My, are you a human?"

The brunet nodded his head. "Yes, I am. I have a contract though and I'm staying with him or, well, them because of that."

"Oh? How nice~" Just then, the man reached towards one of the sweets, grabbing a couple of bags of what looked like marshmallows. He tossed them directly into his basket, not at all caring on how they landed. "I have one, too."

"I see, well, I hope the person you're contracted with is really nice."

"Oh, yes, she is. But sometimes she's so mean. She always scolds me for doing something wrong," At that, the albino pouted. "It's not fair~"

Tsuna almost laughed at the attitude the man was showing, it was so childish - reminding him slightly of Skull's – but shook his head instead. He continued to watch as the other piled loads of marshmallows into his hand basket with an eyebrow raised. "Is that all you're getting? That's not healthy, you know."

The albino offered a surprised expression, his eyes going comically wide, but Tsuna knew better. It was fake. Still, he couldn't help but snicker at the sight of the face. "Eh? But I like marshmallows. They're my favorite food."

"Yes, but you'll get fat from eating that much. You should be eating balanced meals," The brunet huffed, almost like he was about to wave his finger at the older man. "If I meet your Capturer, I'll make sure to tell her that. She needs to look out for your health since you obviously can't."

"Hey, we've only just met and you're already being mean!"

"But it's the truth. Having good health is really important, you know?" Tsuna reached up to grab what he needed, tossing it into his cart. "Well, it was nice talking to you, but I need to finish up my shopping. I don't want to take too long. I have someone here with me and he seems to be growing bored with waiting, well, if he isn't already asleep that is."

The albino just laughed, one hand still carrying the basket he had. "Hmm, maybe I should follow you. You're an interesting one. I haven't met a human besides my Capturer in a long time. What's your name?"

"Tsuna. You?"

"Byakuran." The albino immediately ripped open one of the packages and tossed a large puff into his mouth, ignoring the various stares from the other Meraviglians in the area.

Tsuna was tempted to scold Byakuran but resisted, deciding instead to shaking his head, already having a strong feeling that arguing with the man before him would be useless. He continued on his path, grabbing more things along the way, not bothered by his follower. "So, are you just here to buy some marshmallows?"

"Nope, I ran away. Got tired of doing work and wanted to get outside. It's so boring. She always makes me work and then complains that I spend too much on my food. It's not fair~"

"Then wouldn't that be your fault?" Just as the brunet spoke those words, there was a ringing sound. He blinked and for a moment, thought it was his phone or pager before he saw some movement out of the corner of his eyes. He paused to watch.

Byakuran, grabbing his phone from one of his various pockets, lifted open the screen and immediately scowled. The atmosphere immediately shifted at that. "Darn, I better go before she gets furious. It was nice meeting you, Tuna."

"It's _Tsuna_."

"I know what I said, _Tuna_." The albino just laughed, running down the alley towards the entrance, quickly making his way out of the building. He almost went straight past the cashier but he caught himself and simply threw a bill at the counter, then continued on his way, not bothered about the calls behind. Tsuna watched, a small smile slipping onto his face. For some odd reason, he had a strong foreboding feeling that he would be seeing that Meraviglian sometime in the future. Shrugging his shoulders, he went back to work.


	28. Chapter 28

After the incident with Byakuran, Tsuna continued with his shopping and eventually came across Skull in the bakery section close to the far right of the building. Tsuna peered around the area, taking notice of all the wonderful pastries, cakes, and various other goods and chuckled in amusement. Stepping closer to see what Skull was eyeing, he looked over several of the cakes before concentrating on the one before the purple-haired male. It looked like a carrot cake by the color of the insides, unless it had been colored, and the carrot-shaped confetti on top. Leaning over, he read the details of it, mentally taking down the ingredients that had been used to make this lovely dessert, and smirked. "If you want, I can make that for you."

Skull tilted his head back to observe Tsuna, pondering over the brunet's words, before breaking out into a massive grin as realization began to grow. The smile itself was a little awkward from the piercings and the bad-boy attitude Skull was trying to give off. Still, if Tsuna were to take those out of the equation, the Meraviglian would look like a child who had just received the best thing in the world with the way his eyes were sparkling so brightly. "C-Can you?"

"Yeah, of course! I'm almost done with my shopping and I have the ingredients I can use already in the cart. If you'd like I can make this for dessert tonight." Tsuna gave a soft smile well aware of how the other beamed at the thought of getting something sugary. Skull shifted forward, his eyes still sparkling like mad, and for a second, Tsuna imagined seeing an excited puppy in the other's place. Shaking his head and preventing himself from giggling at the sight, he continued on with his shopping and made sure to pick up those requested coffee beans for the raven before he accidentally forgot. A little while later, he was paying with Reborn's credit card and was standing outside the store with the numerous shopping bags in hand, struggling to pull them all out of the door. There was simply too many to carry and even his companion was having difficulty.

Upon exiting the grocery store, Skull immediately pulled out the box device from one of his many pockets and concentrated on his purple hell element. Spreading his attribute outwards a flame-like substance danced along his fingertips before he poured it into the opening of the box. Tsuna heard a loud click as the box unlocked itself, the hinges automatically opening and a white light blast outwards from the opening, just narrowly missing where he was standing. Muttering a small apology, Skull aimed it towards the goods just as Tsuna stepped aside and within moments everything was sucked into the light, leaving an empty street as the hinges slammed shut. The light and the hell element vanished, drawing itself back into Skull's body. Some of the Meraviglians peered over curiously or amazement, never before seeing such a thing occur, and whispers broke out among the crowd.

Tsuna leaned closer towards the box, staring at it in wonder. "Whoa… That makes things _so_ much easier."

"I know, right? It's so convenient. Some of Verde's inventions are really awesome!" Skull grinned, looking proud of himself despite not really doing anything. "Well, since we walked over here I'll give you a ride back."

At those words the brunet blinked, tilting his head curiously. His hair followed the direction and fell downwards, some brushing against his cheeks. "A… ride?"

The purple-haired man nodded, smiling lightly as he scratched the back of his head. "I guess you don't know my other form. The others didn't say anything about it?" Tsuna shook his head confirming the other's guess. "I see, well I take it that this will be the first time then. Now watch as the amazing Skull transforms!"

The brunet almost wanted to sigh, starting to get used to Skull's eccentric personality. He was the complete opposite of the other Arcobaleno, but then again perhaps they needed someone like him around to lighten the mood. Of course, Tsuna could see it backfiring as well but Skull's liveliness was definitely a good thing. Still, he watch as purple smoke materialized around the male, spreading out from that one spot in the center. As it did so he narrowed his eyebrows when he noticed something slightly odd compared to the others when they transformed. 'It's a little… no, _much_ larger than when the others transformed…'

As soon as he thought that, there was a deafening roar that conducted a massive wave of power. It was painful enough that Tsuna dropped down onto his knees to cover his ears in order to preserve his hearing. Those nearby mimicked his movements, some screaming out in agony, before there was silence. Shakily, Tsuna stood back up watching the mist carefully for any signs of the transformation. He was curious as to what was going to happen, he couldn't help it. However, a second later Tsuna flinched when a large paw suddenly slammed down just outside the mist, creating an enormous hole on the ground. The force of the crash made the ground he stood on shake, enough so that he couldn't keep his balance tumbling to the floor with a small yelp. The paw was about half the size of a large car back on Earth, clearly big enough to crush anything below it like a pancake. The people in the surroundings ran for cover, not wanting to get caught up in the destruction that might follow. Tsuna on the other hand simply watched, his eyes still on the being within.

Finally, the smoke began to fade away, revealing glowing purple flames somewhere in the middle and Tsuna's eyes widened as shapes began to emerge. There, he could see the outline of a figure… no, a beast! A loud gasp escaped his lips, quickly recognizing what the creature appeared to be. It was the shape of a giant dog, almost the size a two-story house, towering over Tsuna by multiple feet. The fur was a dark black like midnight and the toes that were supposed to look like a normal dog's had razor sharp claws digging into the soft ground. The concrete didn't even stand a chance, it cracked under the pressure, crumbling as if it were made out of sand.

There was no neck between the head and the shoulders. It was like the head was hovering in place and in between, there were flames - purple flames - that shaped out into a collar of sort, burning outward. The long demon-like tail that wagged behind the beast was no different in its material form. The center of it was made of heavily condensed flames that almost looked like bone. When Skull opened his mouth, rows of jagged teeth that definitely had the ability to tear through flesh shined in the sunlight, making him appear more demonic than before.

Tsuna continued to examine Skull's new appearance, taking everything in with awe. 'It looks like a… hellhound.' It was as if the beast had been taken directly out of the stories back home. A few changes here and there were noticeable but that was to be expected. Soon Skull turned towards him with large purple-colored eyes and howled, rumbling the earth as he did so. Tsuna could hear and see the windows rattling at the force, a few cracking, and he almost jumped at the sound, slamming his hands over his ears for protection.

"Whoa…" As Skull calmed down, the brunet stepped forward and was tempted to reach out to touch the fur. He wanted to know if it was just as warm as it appeared with all that fire. Or would it be cold? Normal? It was a curious thing to know, one Tsuna wanted to find out. Skull didn't move at first, but eventually lifted his left paw up to bring it closer to the human, his own little way of saying it was okay to touch. Tsuna immediately complied, grasping gently onto the hair and treaded his fingers through the soft strands. "You look really different…"

"Did you expect something else?" The voice was raspy and had a harshness that didn't belong to Skull.

"Kinda… I mean, I thought that something else would fit you," Tsuna scratched the side of his cheek, his eyes glancing to the side as he tried to convey his thoughts. "I mean, the others kinda went along with their personalities and everything."

"Oh?" Even Skull's childish personality was slightly altered from the morph, giving him a dark aura, though that might be just the appearance. Flames made of condensed hell attribute breathed from of his mouth, providing more imagery to his hellhound appearance. His tail whipped to the side, sounding a snap though the air. By the silence that followed, Tsuna quickly figured it wasn't the first time Skull had gotten such a comment. The hellhound awkwardly wiggled his nose and bent his head downwards for a better look of Tsuna due to his height. "Well, since you need a ride the amazing Skull will lend a hand! On this planet I'm known as the immortal Skull!"

'A raven fits Reborn's personality and abilities perfectly, same with Fong and Colonello. But Skull's doesn't. Hellhounds are meant to be dark and… evil. Is it the supposedly immortal fact? Well, at least he still acts the same.' Tsuna almost shook his head at the childish quirk and went forward, going around the giant beast. Skull settled down, bending low enough for the brunet to grasp tightly onto his fur to lift himself up. The hellhound growled lightly when the Capturer pulled too hard but Tsuna continued onwards, muttering apologies along the way. There wasn't much he could do on his end to prevent pain except getting to the top as quickly as possible. Eventually he made it, ignoring the stares that were pointed his way from the residence, and settled close to the center, straddling Skull's back as if the hellhound was a horse of sorts. His fingers grasped a little higher towards the neckline for a better grip, not wanting to be sent flying by any sudden jerks. Tsuna liked remaining upright and pain free thank you very much. "I think I'm ready, Skull. Thanks again."

"It's an easy feat for someone like me." Skull chuckled and immediately took off, quickly making his way back home as he dashed through the streets with little to no trouble. No one opposed him during his run, those in the way moving aside immediately upon spotting the hellhound. It was like no one wanted to mess with a hell attribute bearer, much less a creature that was larger than their own sizes and could possibly crush them with merely his paw. Tsuna didn't blame them, a hell element was considered more troublesome and violent than anything else, willing to backstab their Capturers without a second thought. However, Tsuna thought otherwise when it came to Skull, the purple-haired male didn't give off an aura that complied with that accusation.

Regardless, the brunet felt like he was riding a giant animal, that he was in receipt of a free ride that was bumpier than a car on a rocky road. Tsuna tightened his hold on the fur, sensing Skull about to jump over a tall house, and almost let out a yelp when they landed. Tsuna shook his head at Skull's pace, he just hoped he didn't fall sick during the ride. Flying was _way_ better for traveling than this.

* * *

Tsuna cheerfully hummed to himself as he placed all the groceries away in their respective homes in the Arcobaleno household. Skull had vanished into his little shed soon after releasing the items onto the kitchen floor, saying he needed to fix something before he forgot. He had transformed back into his humanoid form, disappearing into the other side of the house. The brunet didn't mind, taking this time to figure out where everything was placed. About halfway in, he found out that only half of frozen and refrigerated groceries could fit in the current refrigerator until Lal marched in, covered in sweat, and mentioned they had another one in the garage. She wiped her forehead with a towel and got a cold bottle of water from the fridge before running back out the door to continue whatever workout she was doing.

The brunet had been a little surprised to hear about the extra compartment, but knew he should have expected it. He continued with the unpacking, organizing everything to make things easier to find, before heading towards the garage. Inside there wasn't only another refrigerator, it had a separate freezer that contained more of the heavier items that wouldn't be able to fit in the second door so easily.

If anything, the Arcobaleno household had everything it needed to take care of everyone, it was just that no one that knew how to use it. After he finished unpacking he quickly started on lunch, making sandwiches for something simple. He made about twelve sandwiches, all cut in two, with half of them containing sliced honey-flavored ham, pieces of sharp cheddar cheese, a tomato slice in the center, some hint of basil in-between, lettuce, mustard, and a small amount of mayonnaise. The other contained similar ingredients except the meat which was switched out for oven-roasted turkey and the cheese for Swiss. Lunch was considerably healthy, keeping everything simple yet enough to sustain everyone until dinner. Next, he placed the cut sandwiches onto a platter, aligning them for easy access, and covered it with a plastic wrap to keep it safe. It would be easier if everyone came down whenever they felt hungry to grab something for themselves than him going around finding them.

As he finished up with everything, Tsuna glanced outside the window from the kitchen and spotted a familiar figure just outside standing near the surrounding trees. He blinked in confusion and tilted his head as he observed Reborn, watching the raven as he flexed his arms multiple times around him. It was obvious as to why he was performing such an action after seeing it done so many times. Since everyone else was currently busy, Tsuna pushed open the front door and made his way outside, striding closer to the other. "Hey."

Reborn tilted his head back just slightly, his sideburns bouncing at his movement, and nodded his head in greeting. "Tsuna."

"What are you doing?" The brunet made his way in front of Reborn before standing in place with his arms behind his back, his fingers interconnected. The mid-day sun was shining brightly down on them, its warm rays heating up the world, and the shadow created by the fedora grew darker, shading Reborn's eyes like usual. Tsuna remained quiet, waiting for the other to respond. He felt a strong gust of wind blow by and listened as the leaves of the trees rustled and the grass whistled at the force. Over the gust there was the soft chirping of the birds, echoing through every corner of the forest. It was quite relaxing, a place that one could just unwind with ease.

"Nothing much honestly."

"Are you sure?"

Reborn just sighed, folding his arms after flicking his fedora upward. "Since you're pestering so much I'm just irritated. The other me wants to get out for a while."

"The other you?" Tsuna tilted his head at that, questions appearing within his mind. It was a little odd after all, he couldn't help it. Was Reborn talking about his transformed side?

"It's more a matter of instincts really. My bird-like side wants to spread out his wings and stretch since it's such a nice day while I want to stay grounded. I can't help it. It's like Fong and how he enjoys sleeping in the hot sun whether he's in his humanoid form or the fox one. It's just shared instincts that interact," The raven flexed his arms again in response, "It's annoying at times."

"Then why don't you transform? I'm okay with it."

Reborn paused for a moment to let those words settle in, watching Tsuna's expression for any lies, before chuckling in amusement. "I guess it wouldn't hurt," He took a few steps back to gain some distance and allowed his darkness powers flow outward, letting himself morph in his raven form. Darkness scattered into the surroundings, two massive wings appearing through the mist and immediately flapped to push everything away. Tsuna fell back at the intensity, slightly surprised, but continued to watch in amazement as Reborn materialized. He couldn't help but gasp at the sight, enjoying the view of the enormous black bird as it cawed. The wind died down as Reborn settled and he shifted on the soft ground, his feet clawing into it to get a good perch. The grass and earth was yanked up immediately from the strength, but it was enough for Reborn to get leverage in order to sink down against the ground, his body all curled up. The position looked like one of those ducks on the water with his feet tucked inward to prevent any uncomfortable positions, Reborn's wings pulled back. His narrowed yellow eyes peered down, watching Tsuna's reaction, but only found happiness.

Standing up onto his feet, the brunet grinned. "You look so cool like that. It's like out of those books where the raven is the harbinger of death." Tsuna moved closer, touching the soft feathers gently. A few fluttered around his head but it didn't matter, his mind was more interested in the giant beast before him. The breast area of the bird was made out of tiny feathers all bunched up together tightly, never revealing the skin underneath no matter how hard he tried to spread the material apart. Wisps of darkness floated around him, most of the feathers made exactly out of that same darkness while others were condensed as protection. It was interesting to touch and feel, Tsuna clearly enjoying every moment.

Reborn just watched in amusement before bending his head downwards and used his beak to gently peck Tsuna's side, gaining his attention. "I'm in a good mood today. Get on and I'll give you a ride."

"A ride? Where?"

"Just a ride, now get on before I change my mind."

"Alright," Tsuna treaded around, crawling his way up to the top, and wrapped his arms tightly around Reborn's neck, burying his face into the soft feathers. Moments later he could already feel Reborn taking off, flapping his massive wings to gain some distance from the earth, before quickly dashing off into the sky. Tsuna lifted his head slightly. "Thanks."

"I don't do this often," Reborn huffed and went further up into the sky, hovering just below the clouds. Having the wind against his wings felt wonderful, he enjoyed the sensation immensely. His shadow was barely noticeable on the ground, too high up to actually leave something behind. Tsuna didn't reply, knowing when to keep his mouth shut, and stared at the ground, examining the trees, rivers, anything related to life as it passed by. Everything looked so beautiful so far away. He tightened his grasp around Reborn's neck, smiling happily, and buried his face into the feathers once more, enjoying the sensation it created against his cheeks. The raven didn't pay any mind to it and shifted around a large mountain, passing the town where Tsuna had been earlier in the day, before making a circle to head back home. "It's been a while since I've actually been able to enjoy this. I don't fly often."

"Why not?" Tsuna's voice was a little difficult to hear over the bustling wind, but due to their close proximity Reborn could pick it up.

"It's just like you said, I look like the harbinger of death. People tend to freak at my appearance, it's just easier not to transform and prevent massive panic."

"Is that so? Well, you're welcome to transform whenever you need to bring me anywhere. I won't mind. I actually quite like it." Tsuna just smiled as his eyes watched the scenery below, memorizing the surroundings so that he would use it for his artwork and taking note of how every tree was placed. It was too pretty to not paint. The brunet shifted closer into Reborn's neck, wincing slightly when one of his bangs slapped him in the face from the force of the wind. He could breathe in the scent of darkness, it wasn't something he normally was able to smell but with Reborn's body made out of it, it was possible.

The raven didn't reply, ignoring the fluttering feeling within his chest, and began to make their way back to the house. He passed through the similar settings, able to see the residence in the distance. Before long he was rapidly flapping his wings to push his body against the wind, getting himself to drop downwards for landing. Just a few feet away, he hovered over the grass and gently dropped down, his claws ripping into the earth to get a secure grip. Reborn didn't transform back, raising his back upwards to allow Tsuna to slide off first, and tilted his head to the side to watch. There was a small squeal as the brunet slid down, landing safely, and ambled across so that he was back in front of Reborn. He gave a wide grin, reaching up to pet those feathers once more, enjoying this immensely. Minutes passed as they enjoyed each other's presence until it was finally interrupted.

" _How interesting_."

Tsuna snapped his head up, startled by the sudden voice, and peered back at the intruder, taking a quick one-two over the person. He recognized him immediately as Verde, that green hair and white lab coat was most recognizable to anyone among the whole group. The scientist stepped closer, looking over the two before him, and pushed up his glasses with a strange sparkle in one eye. He looked a little ragged, probably from residing downstairs in the basement for so long, and had specks of dust on his white coat.

"I've never seen a human so comfortable with Reborn's other form before," Verde took a momentary glance at Reborn, watching the raven as he remained in the same spot, still allowing Tsuna to run his fingers through his black feathers. "Not even Luce was like this."

There was an instant darkening of aura around Reborn, wisps of darkness spilling out. The threat was as clear as day and yet the other man didn't care, simply observing the interactions between the two. Tsuna, curious on the subject, stopped his petting and twisted around, facing Verde completely. "What do you mean?"

"Luce, when she first saw Reborn's other form, reacted very negatively. She screamed at the sight of him, completely terrified. Eventually, Luce eased up after a while, but the damage was already done," The green-haired male huffed, placing his hands into the pockets of his lab coat. "You can't exactly blame her. As far as I can tell, it's human nature to be afraid of something unnatural."

"That's…"

"Horrible?" Verde chuckled darkly. "One would say so, but like I said, can one blame her? Not really. She was a normal person, born in a normal setting, with a normal life. Despite moving here, she was still an average human with nothing all that special about her except for the way she could move people's hearts," The scientist stepped closer, examining the human thoroughly as if searching for something that was hidden underneath. Reborn quickly transformed back into his humanoid form and marched up beside the brunet for protection, not sure on what the other was trying to do. He had a suspicion but he had confidence it wouldn't be dangerous, physically at least. "You, Tsunayoshi, interest me with that heaven attribute and attitude of yours. You're too accepting of everything, that's far too suspicious to me. Just what are you hiding?"

Tsuna flinched back, his fingers wrapping around each other as if trying to hold himself together. What was he supposed to say? He didn't know much of anything. Nothing really. He was a stranger, a nobody, a doll to his own family, and so much more he didn't want to think about. The brunet shrunk down, staring at his feet as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. Perhaps there was no escaping his fate?

"Wait…" Tsuna blinked, looking a little confused over the matter. "Heaven attribute?"

The two glanced at each and Verde was the first one to speak, "He doesn't know?"

Reborn just shook his head, folding his arms across his chest, and released a heavy sigh. "No, he doesn't. He honestly doesn't know anything." His eyes glanced towards his Capturer before peering at his ally. "And I take it that it wasn't hard for you to find out either."

"Simple research and Tsunayoshi was emitting the heaven element into his surroundings. It's not noticeable enough to be felt but my machines could pick it up," Verde leaned closer towards the brunet knowing very well that the other was listening intently. "I picked it up when he first came over but I didn't think much of it. I believed it to be just a simple malfunction but my machine kept beeping whenever he arrived so I looked into it. This is my conclusion."

"So…" The Capturer looked confused by the whole setting. He could use the heaven element? That wasn't possible… right?

Reborn reached up and pet Tsuna on the head, "I guess I better explain it then. The others know and I was hoping to leave you in the dark a little longer until I got all the information together," He dragged his Capturer closer to his body, tugging him towards the house with Verde following behind. "I'll tell you over lunch. You should know about your abilities anyway."

"O… kay?" Tsuna wasn't sure on what else to say, it was strange… As they made their way towards the building, the brunet paused for a moment as if remembering something. "Oh, that's right." Tsuna whispered, catching the attention of both Reborn and Verde. The two older males peered back curiously, the raven tilting his fedora down towards the side by habit. "I almost forgot…"

"Forgot what?"

"Next week…" The two Melivagians raised an eyebrow up at that, not getting what Tsuna had meant. However, they remained quiet, waiting for Tsuna to continue. "Next week there's a family meeting I have to attend… My whole family will be there."


	29. Chapter 29

Putting the matter of the family meeting aside for the moment, Tsuna peered up at Reborn curiously, wondering what the big thing was all about. He had the Heaven attribute? Was that even possible? He knew his older brother and grandfather had the heaven element, but him? He had thought that he was just like his eldest brother, Dino, unable to produce anything special. As the trio stepped into the kitchen, Tsuna noticed that the plastic wrap had been pulled off the large plate of sandwiches with a fourth of them already missing - only the crumbs remained behind. Despite the disappearances, there was still an even number among the two types. He smiled happily to himself, knowing that someone was at least eating them. Reborn sat down in his usual spot at the kitchen table, leaning back against his chair and stared at the sandwiches curiously before speaking."What are the fillings?"

Tsuna automatically answered as he pointed out towards the two different batches, "These have sliced honey-flavored ham and sharp cheddar cheese while these have oven-roasted turkey and Swiss. Both have a slice of tomato, some dried basil, lettuce, mustard, and a small amount of mayonnaise."

"Hmm," Reborn unfolded his arms and reached over, grabbing the one closest to him which happened to be the ham. Verde peered over everything before grabbing the turkey, taking the first bite just after he sat down. The raven wasn't far behind, enjoying the simplicity of the food, and immediately took another bite. "Tsuna, can you pour me some water?"

"Sure," The brunet went towards the cabinet and pulled out a single glass before remembering there was one more person in the room. "Oh, Verde, do you want some water, too?"

The scientist peered up from his sandwich and gave a nod as he pushed his glasses further up on his nose. It was clear that he was only there to listen in on the conversation, simply wanting to learn more about their little visitor. He was already spreading out papers before him with a pen at the ready as reached for a napkin to wipe a smudge of mustard off his lips. Tsuna quickly got everything settled on his part, grabbing an extra glass for himself before placing everything down. He also brought over three small plates, placing one in front of each person. The napkins were already on the table and there was a silence between them as they ate.

Reborn was the first one to finish his half and took a long sip of his water before speaking, "As you may know, Tsuna, your brother, Giotto, wields the heaven element. Since it can be inherited, you gained it without really knowing and from what I can guess, it has been pretty dormant in its own way," He leaned over to grab a turkey slice, wanting to try the other version out. "I was hoping you wouldn't find out for a while so I could gather all the information on you, but I guess it can't be helped. Remember those nightmares of yours that you have every now and then?"

"Yeah..." Tsuna placed his sandwich down onto his plate, wanting to listen to the conversation clearly. Though he had only taken a few bites he wasn't interested in eating any longer.

"Those aren't exactly nightmares. You were actually having dreams about the future." Reborn continued speaking, not allowing any interruptions. "Of course, not all of them are dreams of the future. Some were just actual nightmares like when you were attacked. They aren't exactly easy to tell apart because of that. That and you would wake up not remembering half of them."

Verde began scribbling stuff down on the papers he had previously pulled out, clearly interested in the flow of the conversation. Heaven element users were rare, and even more so in humans. It was generally unheard of to the scientist and that unheard-of-ness made things so much more fascinating. Tsuna simply stared in shock, disbelief still clear within his eyes. It wasn't possible, right? It just couldn't be. He was useless, weak, and everything else that was negative. His family had hated him because of his constant nightmares.

"That isn't the only thing," The raven paused to take another bite, chewing slowly to give more effect to the conversation. "Whenever you activate the contract between us you actually give us a power boost. Both Colonello and myself have felt this. It's not uncommon after all, since this happens to all Assurers when connected. And the amount of power you gave us is within range of what one would expect. But I think it was more like we could feel the gentleness of your heaven element flowing through us. It gave us a sense of calmness despite being on the battlefield. That was the really unusual bit. It never happened when we were contracted with… Luce." There was some hesitance at the previous Capturer's name, but Reborn kept his face straight despite everything, Verde didn't show anything either.

"I..." Tsuna didn't know what exactly to say, he was completely speechless, and simply stared down at his hands in confusion. He couldn't believe that he was actually doing such things, but Reborn would never lie to him about something like this. He was barely aware of Verde in the background still writing, taking in every word Reborn uttered happily with a sharp sparkle in his eyes. It was like he had found something captivating.

Finally, the scientist spoke, "How intriguing. I've never heard of an element user able to foretell the future. Though, this could be classified as being a heaven element considering its nature. Was there anything else that was suspicious, Reborn? And what about this brother of Tsuna's? What did he gain?"

Without skipping a beat, Reborn answered those questions, "Giotto gained the ability to bring out the element as physical flames on his body and fight with his Assurers. He's a human so it's quite amazing considering everything. I saw it firsthand when I fought him. Of course, he's still a human and was easily defeated, but he put up more of a resistance compared to other humans. He could probably fight a middle level Assurer with no issues." Reborn continued to eat, grabbing another half of a sandwich, while Tsuna remained still as he took in the information. Verde clearly looked like he was having a field day, scribbling everything down excitedly. "Besides myself, only Fong and Colonello know. Four, now that you're included. Also, since you weren't here earlier to listen to the little conversation that was going on, eventually Tsuna will be staying with us as a permanent housemate."

"As long as he doesn't interfere with my research, I have little care." Verde passed the information off with no issues, nothing like how Lal had reacted. "Is there anything I would need to be concerned with? I can build a machine to help locate unwelcomed visitors. It wasn't necessary before since we don't normally get attacked at home."

Reborn smirked. "Is that so? Then it might be a good idea. Tsuna's brother is none other than Giotto of Vongola. He's the head boss, Vongola Decimo, and his father is the head of CEDEF. Oh, and his uncle is Xanxus of Varia."

Verde stared, peering up at the brunet questionably before turning back to the raven. It was like he was trying to process the information that didn't seem all that normal. "I'll… work on that immediately," He wrote something down to the side like he was making a mental note to go back to later on. "Hmm, he has quite the relation to many of our enemies. Is there an off-chance they might attack us because we have Tsuna here?" The scientist glanced towards the brunet once more, watching him flinch slightly at the gaze. The Capturer simply shrunk down into his seat, not expecting such a result could possibly happen. He hoped his family never attacked his friends. If such a thing happened, he didn't know what he would do.

Ignoring the increasingly paling expression on Tsuna's face, Reborn continued. "At the moment? None; Giotto and Xanxus won't be attacking us. However, it's CEDEF that I'm more worried about. Tsuna's father isn't the kindest person. Other than that, it's just the usual enemies we have."

"So almost the same as before." The green-haired man hummed under his breath, rubbing the bottom of his chin as he placed his pen down. He ran a hand through his hair, shifting the long bangs out of his vision. "It might not be necessary, but I'll do it just in case. It'll take some time but I doubt we'll be expecting any sudden attacks right now, besides the usual assassination attempts. At the moment I don't see any problems with Tsuna staying here. If what you say about his abilities is true, he could be more of an asset to us."

Reborn didn't answer that despite knowing that it was true. Tsuna may well be handier to have around than he would be troublesome. The advantages outweighed everything even with the family problem. Still, there was another topic that needed to be touched on, one that made Reborn a little angry. His dark eyes turned towards the brunet, staring him down, and it appeared worse with the shadow of the fedora. "Tsuna, what was that about a family meeting?"

Tsuna jumped when the attention sudden sprang back to him, swallowing as he thought over his words. He had completely forgotten about the meeting, he hadn't meant to either. It was just never on the agenda or written down anywhere and he hated attending them. It was only around these few meetings that he had to see his entire family as they stared him down. It was never pleasant. "It's a family meeting that happens three or four times a year. It's when everyone will get together to see each other. Not all of us like it though since it's generally a pain. Many times, we're not all in the same country," Tsuna peered down at his fingers, playing with them as he tried to distract himself from the gazes. He could feel Reborn's in particular burning into his skin. "Anyway, this meeting is going to be stationed in Tokyo, Japan, for convenience on all sides since Giotto and Dino know I won't be able to get a plane that quickly on such short notice. I was alerted about it when Giotto called me a day after he came to see us. He used the school's personal phone to do so, probably knowing that you would pick it up if he were to use the dorm rooms or my personal one."

There was a slight glare in Reborn's eyes as he stared down at the brunet. "And you never bothered to let me know?"

"I-I forgot about it because right afterwards I came back to start packing to head over here," Tsuna struggled out, looking frightened at the darkening aura that was surrounding the raven. "S-Sorry!" The brunet tilted his head downwards, staring at his half-eaten sandwich. He didn't like the way the older man was glaring at him, accusing him of hiding things. Eventually, he heard a sigh and peered up, staring at the other questionably as he watched Reborn run a hand through his spiky hair, tilting the fedora to the side for access. He had expected rage, anger, something towards him, but Reborn was leaning back, trying to calm himself before he could blow up. It was clear that he was upset despite keeping his face straight, barely revealing any emotions in his expression. So Tsuna simply continued talking, trying to get everything out into the open. "Giotto told me something though." Now that caught Reborn's attention, his eyes snapping down again. "He said that he'll be telling my father that I'll be bringing along some friends."

The raven straightened himself up as he thought of those words, quickly identifying the meaning. "Your brother prepared for this," At Tsuna's confusion, Reborn spoke, "It's an invitation to have your Assurers tag along without telling your father that you have Assurers. He's covering for you and that means I can come along with you openly. Your brother may be an ass but he knows what he's doing." The dark-haired male suddenly stood up, finishing up the rest of his sandwich and water, and placed both into the sink. He tossed his napkin into the trashcan and spun around to look back at the Capturer, ignoring Verde for the time being, who was simply listening to the conversation. "I want to talk to the others about this and see if they want to follow along. We still have a week so we have plenty of time to prepare for whatever happens. Will you still be attending classes during that time?"

"Yeah."

"You still have your cell, right?" Reborn stepped closer, leaning over the human. When Tsuna shook his head, he was tempted to sigh, but resisted, knowing he could call the blond when they arrived back on Earth on Monday. He wanted to ask a few things about the meeting, but he could get his chance later. It wasn't as if the phone would work correctly on a different planet after all.

The raven pulled at one of his sideburns, curling it around his finger, before releasing it and letting it bounce back into place. He reached over to pat Tsuna on the shoulder as if alerting him that everything would be alright. With that, he immediately headed off, probably to look for both Fong and Colonello, the two who were closer to Tsuna than the others. The brunet simply sat back and sighed, unable to finish the rest of his food, staring at the half-eaten piece. He just couldn't force himself to swallow it, especially after the conversation.

Verde glanced up from his spot, watching the Capturer curiously before speaking, breaking the silence between the two. "You should eat." His green eyes didn't show any emotions, no care within them, and went back to eating his own. He was done writing for the time being and now he just needed to head back to his lab to begin working.

Tsuna lifted his head up curiously, staring at the green-haired man in surprise. He released another heavy sigh before looking down at his food once more. However, despite being told to eat, he didn't feel like it at all. He just couldn't get his stomach to handle it.

The scientist gathered his papers up into a neat stack, clearly about to get up now that he had taken his last bite. However, he didn't and continued to gaze at the brunet. "I don't know about you all that well, but I've been around Reborn enough to know his personality. He's worried about you."

"Worried?" The human whispered. "I thought he was… mad."

Verde snorted, pushing his glasses up higher. "There's that, too. No doubt he's furious that you kept it from him. However, I expect that he's more worried about your wellbeing than anything else. Now, if you don't eat, you'll simply worry him more." He stood up, pushing the chair back into the table, and leaned over to grab his documents.

Tsuna glanced up at the adult and gave a small smile. "Thanks, Verde, I appreciate it." His finger went towards the sandwich, grabbing hold of the corners. It definitely looked a little more appetizing compared to before. However, just when he was going to take a bite, there was some shuffling from another room and someone stepped in, breezing past the two at the table. Tsuna almost didn't notice him until the last moment, the purple cloak standing out among the room. By the dark clothes and that hood, he recognized him as Viper. The male wasn't often seen around the group, frequently hiding upstairs in his room much like what Verde did downstairs in his lab. However, before Tsuna could so much as voice a greeting, Viper opened the refrigerator to grab a small carton of strawberry milk and then moved to a cabinet for a plate. "Um… Viper?"

The purple-haired man peered back curiously at his name, staring at the brunet from underneath the hood. There was an awkward silence between the two before the Meraviglian spoke, "What?"

"Will you be joining us for dinner tonight?" Tsuna spoke softly, his eyes down casted before turning towards Verde. "And what about you, Verde?"

The scientist just shrugged his shoulders, his answer unclear, while Viper simply remained quiet. The latter slowly shifted around the table, leaning forward to grab two pieces of a sandwich, and turned back to peer at the human, opening his mouth to speak, "Depends. What are you cooking?"

"I haven't really decided yet. I think some pasta would be nice and I know I made eggs, bacon, and blueberry puppies this morning. I want to make a good balance between all three meals. So…" Tsuna rubbed the bottom of his chin as he went through the various recipes he had storied within his mind. Finally, he came to a setting that appeared agreeable. "Dinner will probably consist of a salad, garlic bread, and stuffed pasta. Oh, and Skull requested carrot cake for dessert. It doesn't exactly match up, but that should be fine."

Viper simply stared, no change in his expression due to the darkness of the robe, however within, the Arcobaleno was deciding. "It doesn't sound too bad. If I don't get called away for a job, I'll join," He gave a momentary pause before continuing, "By any chance, was it you who racked up that large bill this morning? On Reborn's card?" There was a dark aura surrounding him for a moment, unnoticed by the brunet. Verde, on the other hand, did and backed away slightly, familiar with Viper's anger and greed. It was clear he hadn't been told about the agreement shared among those in the morning.

"You mean the groceries? Than yes, that was me," Tsuna nodded his head to confirm. "Sorry if it looks like quite a lot, but it's enough food to last for about two to three weeks. Since I'll kinda be around more often the others want me to cook for them."

The aura around Viper lightened up as the man thought over those words. "If you're doing the cooking that means less takeout and less expenses to go to locations." It was like the man was processing something within his mind, working out all the kinks before snapping his head back toward the brunet. "I would save approximately thirty-five percent in total costs and have better quality food." As if there was a complete one-eighty with Viper's personality, the cloaked man outstretched his hand and pointed it straight towards Tsuna. "Alright, you're fine." With those words, Viper picked up his lunch and stepped out of the kitchen, leaving the other in bewilderment.

"Huh?"

Verde decided to fill in, pushing his glasses upward just as he left the room with his papers under his left arm. "It means he just gave you the okay to spend our money."

"O-Oh…" Tsuna still looked a little confused by the whole ordeal, but went along with it, staring down at his sandwich.

* * *

Fong peered at the little brunet curiously, smiling fondly as he watched the human wander about the kitchen, gathering the needed utensils for tonight's dinner. He had been wondering about this for a while, going over it in his head for a long time, but all he needed was a push. That push came in the form of Reborn physically shoving him forward, demanding him to do what was needed to be done. In all honesty, he didn't want to make another pact with anyone else, not after having Luce pass away and Tsuna was no different. Tsuna was a human. He would die in a few decades and then would leave them all alone just like she had. It was a never-ending cycle; one that Fong wasn't very keen on continuing.

However, upon hearing of the family meeting that would be taking place at the end of next week, he reacted. He refused to have the brunet head into enemy territory without him tagging along. And anyway, he knew that working and being around Tsuna only made things better. Nodding to himself, he went around the corner of the front entrance into the kitchen, slowly sneaking up on the brunet.

"Tsuna?" He called out, watching fondly as the human jumped at his voice, twisting around to look at him curiously.

"Fong, please don't sneak up on me," Pouting depressingly, Tsuna put down the pan in his hands and would have turned back around if he hadn't noticed the odd look in the fox's eyes. Being the concerned being he always was, he stepped forward, looking over Fong to check if there were any external problems and nodded to himself when he found nothing. While he did that, he didn't perceive the way Fong was staring at him with a smile. "Fong, is there something wrong?"

"No, nothing is wrong," The fox chuckled, shaking his head gently. His bangs brushed against his face from the movement, his smile never leaving his lips. "Tsuna, can you give me your right hand?"

"Ah, sure. Why?" Doing as he was told, Tsuna brought his arm up, letting the other take hold of it gently. He was curious, he didn't understand what was going on, but trusted Fong not to do something he didn't like. "Fong?"

The fox didn't answer instead he pulled back the sleeve, revealing the contract symbol that connected two of the Arcobaleno members to the human, and peered over the details. There were two, one for Reborn and the other for Colonello, and nodded to himself as he thought about his idea. Bending forward, his lips brushed against the front of Tsuna's hand with a smile. "Tsuna, make a contract with me."

"H-Huh?" The brunet stared at the other as if he was crazy, eyes wide in shock. Fong would have laughed if the situation between them wasn't serious.

"I've decided to join you and I'm not going to take a no for an answer." The mischievous man smirked as the brunet's expression paled, chuckling fondly. "I like you and I want to be able to protect you along with Reborn and Colonello. I know for a fact that you'll never betray my trust. You're too kind, too forgiving, and that's why I want to stay by your side. You are a person that is so different than anyone I have ever met and I don't want to see you ever be harmed again." He lifted the arm further up, his other hand hovering over the markings and muttered a few words that the brunet didn't understand so that he could connect himself to the human. The tattoos on Tsuna's arm lit up, the markings shifting around as another appeared to make a triangle formation. As that went on, his own lower right arm glowed, the markings of the contract bleeding into his skin from underneath. He knew that the other could reject his offer, but it wasn't going to happen, he knew that Tsuna wouldn't push him away.

Tsuna stared at his new markings, looking over the little sketch of a fox-like creature, and smiled softly, a small tint on his face. "Y-You didn't have to… I mean, wouldn't that take away your freedom?"

"I've decided, both from Reborn's pushing and by myself that you're too dear to me and everyone else. I can already see you becoming precious to the others here and though it'll take time, it will happen. We will all eventually care for you even if we don't show it as clearly like others, Reborn being a clear example. He's a bit of a moody bastard who likes to hide his emotions." Fong smiled fondly, already imaging how the future would develop with the brunet around. It didn't take special powers to see how the Capturer was taking hold of everyone's hearts little by little. Still keeping a hold on the brunet, afraid that the human might try to run away, he suddenly tightened his grasp and sighed.

He had no plans of letting go. No, Tsuna needed to stay with the Arcobaleno no matter what. They needed someone like the brunet around to help keep everyone in line. Reaching upward towards Tsuna's face, he let his fingers drift through the soft locks at the side, enjoying the curious look the human kept giving him. Eventually, he pulled away to look down at the contract between them, taking in every little detail. It was an interesting design, his fingertips tracing over the lines as if he was in a trance. Now that he was connected with Tsuna, he could help protect the human and make sure that nothing bad happened. He couldn't allow such a thing to happen. It didn't take much to realize that their strongest - Reborn - was attached to his Capturer, caring for every little thing, and for the sake of his peace of mind, along with Reborn's, he would make sure to keep the brunet safe from all harm.

"Well then," Fong spoke, catching the brunet's attention. "I think I'll take a bath. I'll see you later at dinner, Tsuna. Shall we announce the good news for everyone then?"

"Eh?" The human didn't know what to say. He really didn't. He had just made a pact and now Fong wanted to announce it so suddenly? It was too much to take in. The fox just chuckled and gave another pat on the human's head, forgetting that the other was considered an adult, before slipping away to leave Tsuna to his thoughts. However, he continued to laugh at the questioning expression and disappeared upstairs, humming gently to himself. Tsuna, on the other hand, just stared down at the contract before turning his attention back to the stove where one of his pans was located. Luckily, he hadn't started making anything else, still gathering the necessary equipment, so there wasn't anything to burn. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't hear the front door opening and Lal stepping in. She looked a little winded like she had been running and was covered in sweat, her shoulder-length blue hair sticking all around her face.

"Hey, Tsuna!"

Her voice seemed to snap the brunet out of his daze, who rotated around so fast that he almost let the pan fly out of his hands. "Y-Yes?"

For a moment, Lal raised an eyebrow at the odd behavior but soon pushed it off. "Don't cook any dinner for Colonello today. I'm teaching him a lesson for skipping one of my practices. That idiot must pay for his stupidity!" With that she stormed away, her footsteps echoing loudly in the house. Tsuna seemed to have gone back to his normal state, knowing that dinner had to be made soon. Lal's sudden appearance and announcement snapped the brunet into reality, getting him out of his surprised state caused by Fong. Looking down at his arm, he sighed. Well, looks like he had another contract.


	30. Chapter 30

Everyone had enjoyed their dinner with a miniscule smile gracing their features. It had been a peaceful affair with no one attempting to instigate their usual chaotic activities. That in itself struck Tsuna as surprising considering that all members of the Arcobaleno were present, even Colonello, who had somehow managed to convince Lal to forego the threat of no dinner for that evening. However regardless of the company, they seemed quite content with their situation. When dessert came around Skull was practically glowing. The moment the carrot cake touched his taste buds he fell in love and was soon shoveling giant pieces into his mouth as quickly as possible. It was a happy evening and the brunet couldn't help but laugh at Skull's funny expression. He had giant chubby cheeks as he attempted to swallow everything in one gulp. Lal quickly proceeded to scold the hellhound for his actions by smacking him on the back of the head. She used enough force to send the purple-haired male hurtling down towards the table. There was a loud bang as the table rattled and the dishes chimed before laughter broke out. Tsuna could get used to this – the pleasant homey feeling that the Arcobaleno gave him.

Halfway into dessert Fong announced the news of his contract, watching as several of his friends spat out their drinks or choked. Questions were undoubtedly thrown at the fox, the un-contracted Arcobaleno wondering why he had done such a thing, but the Asian-looking man just chuckled in amusement. To divert the subject away from him he pushed the attention towards Tsuna, trying to get everyone informed about the brunet's heaven element. There were some surprised mutters from those who didn't know while others just shrugged their shoulders uncaring.

The brunet just smiled, enjoying his time with the group, and continued to eat as he made sure everyone was full. There was a little bit of chatter among the group as they spoke about certain jobs that Tsuna didn't understand all that well. Despite not understanding a word of it, he still went along with the conversation, knowing that eventually it would become something familiar. Now that he thought about it, what were the jobs the Arcobaleno took? They had to make money somehow after all.

When it was getting late, people began to disappear into their rooms and Tsuna took residence in the empty room he used the last few times he'd stayed over. Luce's room that was near the back had been closed off, the door locked to prevent anyone from entering. It was clear that they still had some lingering emotions towards the dead woman and Tsuna didn't dare ask about it. He didn't want to bring up those emotions after such a blissful night. Instead, he simply settled into his new bedroom, taking in the monotony. It definitely hadn't been decorated and only had a basic bed, nightstand, and chest of drawers. There was also a digital clock and a lamp sitting on the nightstand. Everything had been kept simple so that it would be easier to decorate later on. He looked around to eye what he could work with and soon started to move things about. He had brought a few items from his apartment, just the simple things like clothes and his artwork, seeing as the latter would be much safer here than back at his dorm.

There was no doubt within the brunet's mind that he would love staying with the Arcobaleno.

* * *

The house was dark, the moon settled high up in the night sky to offer the dwelling its wondrous light. Everything was silent, not a single sound could be heard, not even the bugs were chirping. Everything was peaceful - it was as if the whole world had settled into a deep sleep. The entire household was resting in their rooms with one or two suddenly shifting in their beds to get comfortable before falling back into dreamland. All the lights were off, only those that stayed on were the clocks on various devices. On one clock, it showed the time of two minutes past two in the morning.

Creak.

The front door to the Arcobaleno household suddenly opened, the lock disengaged completely. It slowly swung open, the squeaking of the hinges weak from the movement. A hand suddenly snapped out from behind, grasping onto the ledge of the door, and tightened into a fist. A body followed soon after, slipping into the household quietly with each footstep soundless on the hardwood floor as the door closed behind with a dull click. The person was unidentifiable since the dark of the night obscured the figure entirely. The only noticeable thing was that the intruder was male and had a weapon-like shape strapped against his side. Carefully, the intruder made his way down the hallway, passing the living room and kitchen. No steps could be heard and the male glanced around the various rooms, looking for any life, but found none. It was empty, completely devoid. It was then that the person began to make his way up the stairs, reaching down towards one of the weapons at his side and slowly pulled it out to prevent any noise.

On the second floor were various doors that revealed the bedrooms and the sleeping occupants behind. The person suddenly grinned as he made his way towards one of them, creeping closer. As his hand reached out to grasp a random doorknob, he turned his wrist to open the door.

Tsuna snapped his eyes open, jumping up from his sleep with a sharp gasp. Sweat dripped down the side of his face and he peered down at his hands which were digging into his legs through the bed sheets. They were trembling and he tightened his hold for a moment longer before reaching up to rub his face with the warmth of his fingers. Just feeling the touch of his hands made him wake up further, keeping his mind focused. His eyes then peered around the room, identifying the place as the one he had fallen asleep in earlier.

'A dream?' Tsuna's breathing began to ease up, calming himself down as he thought over the nightmare. Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair, smoothing the locks back from the sweat as he bent his neck towards the side. 'Damn…' He was tired. It must be just past midnight from how dark it was outside. The trees' leaves rustled in the wind, the only noise within the entire area. Stretching, he listened as his back cracked loudly and he let out a soft satisfied groan as the tenseness in his body began to slide out.

His mind was still processing the dream, unable to think of anything but that. 'Was it really a dream? Or was it one of those… visions? Well, that's what Reborn said,' Wiggling his nose, he closed his eyes as he pondered over the idea. 'It's not possible…right?'

His eyes glanced towards the clock, finding the time was one-fifty in the morning. Just twelve minutes away from the time in his vision. He wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep. It couldn't be true… right? Still, his mind didn't settle, everything in his body was racing as if trying to tell him something. Sighing again, he pulled the covers back as he moved his feet off the bed and stared at his bedroom door. It couldn't hurt to check, right? Standing up, he felt his footsteps creak against the hardwood of the floor and slowly went towards the door, his fingers grasping the knob. Swallowing, he opened the door and peeked out, glancing up and down the hallway.

No one, it was empty like he had hoped and expected. Still, he wanted to make certain of things for the sake of his peace of mind. Stepping out, he closed the bedroom door behind him and went towards the front of the staircase to stare down it. He could see the front door and no shadow anywhere nearby. Shaking his head, he thought it was nothing more than a dream however, as he went towards his bedroom door to go back to bed, he passed by Reborn's room. He momentarily paused as he stared at the door for a moment, wondering if he should alert the other of his dream.

His heart was pulsing rapidly, sleep far from his mind. It couldn't hurt, right? That and he was used to sleeping beside the raven after being together for so long. It would be a good excuse to slip in. Slowly, he went forward to grasp the doorknob and twisted it open, using his other hand to knock lightly against the wood. Peeking in, he took a single step inside and glanced towards the bed that was near the back of the room. He spotted the person he was looking for sleeping within the confines of the sheets. From the sound of his knock, Reborn immediately began to stir, rolling around in the bed sheets as his dark eyes opened up.

"Wha…" The raven grumbled under his breath, his voice laced with sleep, and glanced over towards Tsuna groggily. There was a flash of confusion on his expression and he took a glimpse of his clock, a small curse escaping his lips. "Shit… Tsuna, it's five minutes to two." As Reborn gradually sat up, the sheets pooled around his waist and Tsuna could see that he was only dressed in loose pants. His chest was free to see and his hair was tousled from the pillow, lacking its usual neatness. He rubbed the back of his head and let out a yawn as he tried to keep himself awake.

"Sorry…" Tsuna spoke softly, stepping closer. "I… No, never mind, it's not important. Sorry for waking you." He was about to turn around to escape, beating himself up for doing something so stupid when the raven called out.

"Wait," Reborn reached towards the brunet, waving the other closer. "Come on, tell me. You don't wake people up this late for no reason. What happened?"

The Capturer paused for a moment before finally opening his mouth. "I had a dream that…" He trailed off for a second before continuing, "That someone broke into this house at two minutes past two carrying a knife or some kind of weapon."

The raven perked up at that, his eyes narrowing dangerously and immediately stood up. He didn't bother to get dressed and stepped closer to the brunet. "Could it be one of those…?" His voice trailed off as he spoke before sharpening his gaze at the other. "Tell me more about it, Tsuna." And the brunet did, detailing as much of his dream as possible. Reborn listened, nodding his head with the brunet before glancing out the door. "If that's true then let's wait outside on the staircase and see what happens. When it's past the time in your dream, we'll both just go back to sleep. Deal?"

"Yeah," Tsuna smiled gently, glad that the other had believed him. "Thanks."

As the two slipped outside, Reborn closed the door behind him and moved to sit at the edge of the stairs. He leaned against the wall and patted the spot next to him. "Come on, sit next to me." Complying with Reborn's wishes, Tsuna did as told and took a step farther by leaning against the raven. He literally cuddled up, burying himself into the older man's side. Though he was dressed in pants and a t-shirt, the night was still cool. Within moments he was out like a light, enjoying the warmth against him. Reborn could only stare in amusement as he watched the human sleep peacefully and wrapped an arm around the shoulders, dragging the other closer. He glanced down at his watch, finding it just a minute before two.

Reborn simply waited, his eyes watching the front door. As he did so, one of the bedroom doors behind him opened up and Lal stepped out. She looked exhausted, clearly awoken by something and glanced towards the two at the stairs. A flash of bewilderment misted her face and she whispered, "Reborn? What _are_ you doing?" The woman shifted further out, revealing herself in just shorts and a tank top. Her long hair was ruffled and she reached up to push a few bangs out of the way. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Well aware of that," The raven snorted, glancing down towards the bundle against him. "Tsuna woke me up and told me he had a dream. If I dismissed it, he would never come to me again about it."

"At two in the fucking morning?" Lal sneered, stepping closer. Her voice was still a whisper so as not to wake anyone else up but the rage that was within her tone was clearly identifiable.

"He said that someone would break into the house and the only kind of people that would attempt to do something like that would be assassins."

"And it could have just been a dream and nothing more," Lal snorted but remained outside against her bedroom door, not heading back inside. She leaned against the side and continued to observe at the two, especially Tsuna. "Looks like he's already fast asleep."

Reborn would have chuckled if there wasn't the chance of waking Tsuna up. "The moment he leant against me, he was out."

"Lucky."

"Reborn? Lal?" Another bedroom door opened, revealing Fong who was only dressed in white pants. His long hair wasn't braided back so all the long locks were draping over his entire body. It was like a veil was following from behind him and some of it fell in front of his face. "What are you two doing up so late?"

Lal huffed at that, snapping her head towards the fox, while Reborn remained watching the front of the house. The blue-haired woman opened her mouth to speak, alerting the other of what was going on. However, just as two syllables came out, the raven suddenly jumped up. Tsuna was jolted awake from the push, shaking his head as he tried to follow what was happening from his sudden awakening. Reborn immediately got onto his feet and began yanking the brunet up and shoving him towards Fong. The two Meraviglians glanced at each other before Fong went to the brunet in his arms, holding onto him to keep him upright. When they peered at Reborn, their eyes noticed exactly why the raven had moved so quickly.

There at the door was a shadow, who was quickly picking the lock, concentrating solely on opening it up.

"Well I'll be damned…" Lal muttered under his breath, keeping her voice low. "Tsuna was actually right."

"Guess it's a good thing I listened to him," Reborn smirked before turning towards Fong. "Keep watch of him. Lal and I can handle this."

"Sure, be careful though." The fox peered down towards the sleepy brunet, chuckling in amusement at the sight in his arms before turning serious once more. Carefully, he brought Tsuna into his room, letting the tired human collapse onto his bed. Fong, however, remained up, sitting on the edge of the bed as he listened to the noises on the other side, keeping the Capturer safe and sound.

Outside, Lal and Reborn went in different directions to surprise their intruder. The woman went to the side, keeping herself out of view while the raven blended in with the darkness, hiding within its depths. He shifted down the stairs, keeping himself hidden, and eventually slipped into the living room, ducking behind one of the couches. Just as he settled, the door opened. The intruder made his way inside, looking around the room for any signs of life before heading towards the stairs. Reborn materialized his gun, making sure it was on silent, and maneuvered around to stalk behind the person. Lal had her weapon within her hands, ready for use. Just as the intruder was halfway up the stairs, they struck. Jumping out from both sides, they each fired twice, making sure to aim at the extremities. They didn't want their target to die, not when they needed information about the attack. The bullets hit the upper parts of the assassin's arms and legs, rendering them useless as the bullets snapped the bones. They watched their target collapse to the ground with a pained grunt.

Almost immediately two bedroom doors behind them opened, the occupants having heard the noise, and out came Colonello and Viper. Both looked barely dressed with Viper having a cover over his head, clearly woken up by the sounds of the gun, and they peered over the scene before them. The blonde was the first to speak, "What the hell is going on?"

"Idiot, we have an assassin on our hands!" Lal called out, snapping the two into position.

The intruder glanced between the two groups, one at the top of the stairs and Reborn below, and let out a curse, struggling to move with his broken limbs. Blood pooled around him, dripping down the stairs like water. "How did… you find out? There's no way information could have… gotten out about an attack towards you for today."

Reborn justified from below, "Well too bad for you, we have someone that predicted your little attack," He strode closer, his gun vanishing from his hand, and folded his arms across his chest. "Now why don't you tell us who hired you? It'll make things much easier on both our parts."

"You think I'm stupid to say who sent me? You Arcobaleno have plenty of enemies to go through."

"Can't deny that, kora." Colonello muttered under his breath.

The raven just huffed, glancing up towards Lal, who let out a small grumble under her breath. Within moments, the woman aimed her gun at the intruder's head and fired, ending the assassin's life instantly. The corpse collapsed to the floor and Reborn gave it a cruel kick, not caring about it. He bit down on his bottom lip with a sneer. "Didn't think there were still some idiots who dared to target us. They should have learned by now."

"It _has_ been a while," Viper commented from the side, floating down. He was now dressed in his usual garb, but it was wrapped tightly around his form since it was clear that there were hardly any clothes underneath. With a snap of his fingers, the body that had been lying there vanished into an icy mist, leaving only the blood behind. "Regardless, it seems like this is the only fool in the area."

"That's good to hear," Colonello went down the steps and summoned up some water to wash away the evidence, leaving the steps clean. Soon after, he shifted his fingers to let the water heat up, evaporating from the spot. "I mean, seriously, do they ever learn, kora?"

Reborn snorted at that, heading back up the stairs as he passed by everyone. He wanted to check up on Tsuna. "Well you'll have to thank Tsuna. He happened to foresee this in his dream," Ignoring the questioning behind him he opened the door to Fong's room and peered inside, seeing the brunet curled up in bed with the fox beside him. Fong stood up and let out a relieved sigh, seeing now that everything was finished. A few words were passed between them, Reborn letting the other know what had occurred before stepping towards the brunet. "I think I'll take him back to my room. After what happened it's probably best."

"Are you sure?" Fong tilted his head back as he peered down at the sleeping male. "He can stay here or go back to his room."

"I know, but I have a strong feeling he was going to use that dream to sneak into my bed regardless if it came true or not," The raven leaned over, shaking Tsuna slightly to stir him awake. Those large honey-colored eyes fluttered open gently, peering up at the black-haired male curiously before breaking out into a smile. Slowly, the brunet sat up onto his elbows and blinked as he waited for Reborn to speak. "Hey, do you want to stay with me tonight?"

There was a curious flutter of eyes as Tsuna took in the question before nodding his head. "Can I?"

"Yeah, now get up. I'm not planning on carrying you to my room."

Tsuna pouted but complied, pulling his feet over the side of the bed with a soft smile. He was going to get his wish. Slowly, he got up and grabbed a hold of Reborn as he followed the other out of the room, slipping past everything as things got situated and cleaned up downstairs. The brunet glanced over curiously, not entirely sure what was going on. However, before he got to think too much he was placed into Reborn's room with the door closing behind them, cutting off the outside world, and was immediately shoved onto the bed. Tsuna was a little flabbergasted at the sudden shove but went along with it, crawling around the bed until he got onto one side. He shifted underneath the covers and buried his face against the pillow, closing his eyes instantly to fall asleep.

Reborn remained standing, watching for a few moments until he was sure that Tsuna was out before leaving the room. He closed the door behind him and turned towards the others, nodding his head. He had better help clean up the situation. He wanted no chances of any more future attacks. It was only afterwards once everything had been investigated did he find himself nestling against the human for warmth.

* * *

Morning had been a little awkward but everyone made do, used to such attacks in the past despite its rarity these days. They didn't think much of it and simply went back to their usual duties. However they couldn't hide the curiosity about Sawada Tsunayoshi, the one who had alerted them of the attack in the first place. The brunet had later woken up in Reborn's arms, his face against the warm chest with the older man's buried within his soft hair, breathing in his scent. He smiled gently to himself, glad to be back within their embrace. He was used to being within the man's arms, safe from everything around him. However, despite enjoying it, he sat up to look over Reborn's sleeping figure and beamed. The raven's expression really was different compared to when awake, his features soft and relaxed while deep in slumber. Tsuna smiled gently at the sight and shifted over the bed, getting up to begin cooking a breakfast that consisted of pancakes and toast. It was still early in the day, but he didn't mind and he had a strong feeling that most of the occupants of the household would be sleeping in this morning.

Later, when everyone managed to get up to eat, he chuckled at the sight of them. He was glad to see everyone together in one place, eating his food happily despite some yawning. It was one of the few things he could do to help everyone out.

The rest of the day went by smoothly, not much trouble from anyone, except for the usual bickering between certain members of the group. Tsuna didn't mind, continuing with his duties and made some roll-ups for lunch to keep things simple. Like yesterday, no one minded the simplicity and grabbed one or two before heading off to their own parts of the house or for work. No one really stayed in the kitchen, not even Reborn, which left the brunet to his own devices.

Tsuna began to wander, wanting to head around the entire house in hopes of exploring every little nook and cranny of the place. He started with the first floor, ignoring the rooms he was already familiar with. He found Fong in the back dojo like before, training his body with martial art moves Tsuna didn't recognize. The brunet stared for a few minutes as he observed the smooth gliding movements, the reflection of sun on the fox's form from the window. Fong's eyes were closed shut as he shifted side to side, his long braid swinging with his movements. Everything was done perfectly, the Asian-looking man refusing to be out of pace. Tsuna smiled gently before moving away, not wanting to disturb Fong's concentration and closed the door behind him.

The brunet glanced down the hallway, wanting to find the others in their environment. He went towards the back on the other side of the house where he had remembered Skull heading yesterday and slipped around a door into the garage. His ears picked up the sounds of something being cranked and peeked towards the right where he could see the purple-haired individual bent over what looked like a motorcycle. The hellhound's hands were grabbing around for a few tools in a red metal box, exchanging them quickly for another to labor on certain parts of the machine. Tsuna could see Skull working diligently on the motorcycle, making sure that each movement he made was for the good of the bike. The brunet shook his head at the scene, finding it nice that Skull had something to concentrate on.

His eyes wandered to the other objects in the garage, spotting a few cars scattered in the large room. Most of them looked as if they hadn't been used for years and they probably hadn't been, Meraviglian's didn't exactly need to use this form of transportation. The machines simply took up space. It was clear that of the household the garage was Skull's domain.

Wanting to leave Skull alone for the time being he slipped away to see if he could find another member of the Arcobaleno while he explored. He hoped the others wouldn't mind when he began to open various doors or cabinets to see what was hidden inside. Most of the items were simply kept out of view, many obviously not belonging to any of the residents and he could only guess they were from Luce. He smiled at the memories that must have been with these items and wondered how the others had gotten over their friend's death. He could tell that the objects had been put away, stuffed behind other items to purposefully keep them out of view. He ran his thumb along the surface, removing a streak of the accumulated dust.

'Makes me wonder how they'll get over mine once I too grow old…' Tsuna sighed at the depressing thought. He knew he would age and falter faster than the Assurers. It couldn't be helped, he was human after all. It made him wonder how things would work out once he got old enough and wanted to get married. Well, if he ever got married. He sighed again and peered down at the item he had picked up from his raid of the closet. It was quite large and more unique-looking compared to everything else. A white hat, to be exact, or at least what seemed to be a hat. It was more of a mushroom shape, puffing out at the top, with a band around the bottom to keep it attached to the head. A large black line, with yellow stripes flanking the sides of it, ran horizontally from either side the head hole. A tassel was attached to both of the forefront yellow stripes. However, age had not been kind, the threads stuck together as one large clump and dirt patches stain the once pristine white. In the center of the band, bending inwards, was a symbol. Tsuna attempted to get a clearer view of it but it refused to budge. Shaking his head, he placed the item back in its spot, intentionally pushing it out of view.

He sauntered around the household once more to distract himself, slipping into a small empty gym. It was located just behind the garage and wasn't all that noteworthy, merely containing the basics of training equipment. Tsuna quickly moved onto the next place, examining the studio that was there. It was quite bare compared to the rest of the house, thus it was easy to identify that it wasn't used often or by anyone at all. Dust littered the room and he looked over everything curiously. 'Maybe I could use this for my artwork…' He moved the large table that was near the back of the room so that it was against the wall. This meant that when he sat down he could see both the window and the door beside him. It was a nice position and there were plenty of cabinets to put his utensils in or hide his artwork. Everything honestly looked perfect. 'Still, I should ask if I can use this area. It would be nice after all…' Taking one last look around the room he left the studio and continued on his path. He still needed to find the others and from what he knew Colonello and Viper had left for a job somewhere. This left only Verde, Reborn, and Lal to find in one of the buildings.

'Hmm, I never did ask what types of jobs they took, though they did say it was something to do with missions.' Tsuna reminded himself as he wandered around the rest of the first floor. Finding nothing all that significant He began his ascent to the second floor. He peeked into each room, hoping that no one would mind. Of course, he had the decency to knock just in case, not wanting to intrude on anything that he wasn't supposed to see. However, no one ever answered and he came across a few extra empty rooms that looked like they had no purpose but existing. Ignoring those, he went around the bedrooms to see if there was anything interesting in the area and finally came across an open door. He blinked, his curiosity getting the better of him and gently knocked on the wood. It squeaked a little at his touch and he poked his head inside.

"What is it?"

Tsuna blinked, staring at the only female of the group who was sitting on her bed with a book in hand. His eyes went down immediately and he backed up. "Ah, sorry, I just saw that your door was open."

Lal stared curiously, observing the human quietly before slamming her book closed. Her long blue hair was settled over her shoulders and she was dressed the same as always. Nothing was out of place. Her bedroom was too clean, too neat, and had very little personal items. There weren't even any pictures that revealed anything about her personality or past. Tsuna could already guess she was one of those tough women who acted more like a man than her real gender but he didn't blame her. In a household that was mostly male, she had to be just as strong as everyone else and act more like a man to blend in.

The blue-haired woman huffed and flipped a strand of hair behind her. "Well, you're still standing there, you know?" Her sharp gaze was back on the brunet, leaving him frozen.

It took a few moments but the brunet was finally able to move. "A-Ah, right. Sorry about that." Tsuna rubbed the back of his head, wondering what he should do next. He wanted to leave but there was something that had been bothering him for some time. His eyes peered back up at the woman and he bit his bottom lip before finally speaking, "Actually, I was wondering if you would answer a question of mine," Lal raised an eyebrow curiously but didn't say anything else. Tsuna took that as a sign to keep going. He wanted to ask about the jobs but there was another interest that presented itself. "What's your attribute?"

"You want to know my attribute?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm really curious. It's like everyone here is different from each other."

Lal wiggled her nose momentarily, considering the question and whether she should actually answer. "You're not wrong. Everyone is different except for Colonello and myself. We share the same elements," Tsuna perked up slightly at that, not expecting to have his question answered so easily. "Actually, I was first to join the Arcobaleno then Colonello later on. Luce didn't mind having two of the same elements. To her, it meant more people in the family."

"So you're a water element?"

"Yeah, but unlike Colonello, mine is weaker. However, to make up for that, I can also use the hell and ice attributes. The idiot can only use water, which gives him quite the disadvantage when it comes to fighting against other elements. I'm always scolding him to learn others but he's too stubborn. Of course, because he only uses water his is more pure," Tsuna simply stared, listening as the woman went on about the blond. It was clear that she cared about him deeply by the way she spoke and the small hint of a smile on her lips. Lal motioned the human to get closer, telling him to close the door behind him, with which the brunet complied. "Most of us, except for Fong, Reborn and myself, can only use one element. It's what makes us much stronger than the others in a way."

Tsuna tilted his head and leaned back against the wooden door, listening to every word carefully. He already knew about Fong's attributes and now Lal's. However, what about Reborn? "Reborn uses darkness right? And wind, I think? I remember him using wind magic against some students."

"You are correct…" Lal leaned against the frame of her bed. "He's the strongest of us but he can't use every attribute. Besides darkness and wind he can also use ice, though he rarely does. He used to use one more element but that was a long time ago."

"What element was it?" This made Tsuna stepped closer, his curiosity spiked. When it came to Reborn he always wanted to learn more.

The bluenette shook her head, her long hair flipping side to side from the movement. "I'm afraid you'll have to ask him yourself. It's not my story to tell. I'll just tell you that darkness was _not_ his original attribute." She shuffled uncomfortably on the bed, knowing she was already pushing the limits. There wasn't much she could say unless she wanted to give away something overly important. If Reborn was so overly fond of this human, then it was only right that he told Tsuna the details, not her.

Tsuna seemed to understand and nodded his head in compliance, turning around. He reached out towards the door, twisting the handle. "Thanks for everything, Lal. I appreciate it." He watched her momentarily darken in color before coughing once.

"I-It was nothing. Now go already. I'm sure you had something to do before you came to me."

Tsuna just smiled and stepped out, leaving the woman to herself. It wasn't until a little further down the hallway that he realized he forgot to ask her what her other form was. Shrugging his shoulders he went back to exploring upstairs but sadly, found no one else in the area. It was depressing but he continued, refusing to give up yet. As he wandered towards the back, he spotted a single door that was quite isolated from everything else and leisurely went towards it. His eyes drifted down at the obvious lock that was attached to it and tilted his head curiously. He hadn't seen a single locked door in the entire house, but he guessed that this one had something hidden behind that none of the Arcobaleno wanted anyone else getting to.

Nosiness getting the better of him, Tsuna reached over to test the doorknob, finding it unlocked. The door swung open easily with little sound and he peered behind the wooden door to see a staircase. He blinked, perhaps this door lead to the attic? Stepping inside, he peered at the stairs and saw them turning to go the other way, going over the second floor of the building. The wooden planks creaked underneath his steps and he slowly ascended the stairs, wanting to know what was at the very top. His eyes peered up at the end, able to see the top of the attic and some items at the very back of the room. However, just as he was about six steps away from the peak, a shadow stepped out in front of him.

"What are you doing?"

Tsuna let out a small squeak, completely startled by the sudden appearance and peered up at the shadow. He recognized that figure and sighed in relief, glad that it was just Reborn. However, the raven was standing in a way to block the other side, preventing Tsuna from seeing anything. "Ah, Reborn. Sorry for intruding. I was just exploring the house."

"Oh," Reborn peered behind for a moment before reaching forward, turning Tsuna around forcefully. "Then why don't I show you some other places you haven't seen. Verde's lab is probably the only one that's hard to find since it's in the basement."

Tsuna winced slightly as he was pushed down the stairs, knowing very well that Reborn was trying to prevent him from seeing what was above. He had simply caught sight of some pictures, but that was it, nothing else that would give away what was hidden. Pouting, he pushed the thought back and focused on the raven beside him. The warm grasp tightened slightly and he sighed. "Alright, alright, I get it. Show me around."

With his soft smile, Tsuna observed as Reborn eased up and the grasp on his shoulder lightened. The raven peered down at the brunet and gave a sharp nod, pulling the Capturer back onto the second floor. He immediately locked the door behind him, preventing Tsuna from wandering back up there, and turned back around, knowing he had gotten the other's attention.

"You ever plan on letting me go up there anytime soon?" Tsuna attempted to tease, knowing he had Reborn's full attention.

"Perhaps another time." Reborn wrapped an arm around the brunet's shoulder, yanking him closer before slowly pulling the other down another hallway.

The brunet just pouted, but didn't resist the movements. "Fine, fine, I guess the Arcobaleno has some secrets they aren't willing to share just yet. I get it." With a swift movement, he wrapped his arms around Reborn's waist, pulling the other along this time. "Well whatever, I wanted to ask you something about one of the rooms here. There's a studio that hasn't been used. I was just wondering if it was possible that I use it?"

Reborn raised an eyebrow at the question. He was certain that he would have been asked about the other room but was glad for the change of topic. Smirking, he nodded his head. "No one uses it so yes, you can have it. You'll be putting all your art supplies and work in there, correct?"

"Yep," Tsuna smiled, dragging the older man down the hallway. He ignored asking about the door and about Reborn's original attribute, wanting to save the latter for another time. He could tell when the other was already guarded enough, it would be best to wait until Reborn was more relaxed before asking. Smiling softly to himself, he nudged the other forward, wondering in the back of his mind on how long it might take before he gained that trust. Reborn kept walking, unaware of Tsuna's wandering thoughts.


	31. Chapter 31

"Hey, Tsuna!"

The brunet perked his head up at hearing his name called out. He tilted it slightly to the side, attempting to recognize the voice, though he was unable to put his finger on it. It wasn't one he was familiar with at least. That was a good thing, he thought for a moment, knowing that if he wasn't familiar with the person, it meant that that person hadn't bullied him before. Still, Tsuna couldn't help but be curious as to who would call out to him so unexpectedly. He had returned to his dorm room a few hours ago, making it just in time for his first class. He had a little bit of time to talk to Hana before and after the bell rang, but once it did, Tsuna had wanted nothing more than to return home to his waiting friends.

As he turned around, he took a quick glance over the people who had chased him up and raised an eyebrow in curiosity. It was the transfer students from before and they were quickly approaching him, almost like they were in a hurry. The one who had called him out, Yamamoto, gave him a friendly grin and gently waved his hand as if to make himself more welcoming. Tsuna blinked, he didn't recall much about this person. His eyes turned to the other transfer student, who quickly gave him a glare. Gokudera, if he remembered correctly, looked like one of the many bullies who used to pick on him, and he was tempted to make a run for it. Yamamoto may look kind but Tsuna knew better than to trust smiles just like that, so many had been used against him in the past.

"Y-Yes?" The brunet took a defensive step back and stared at the two with caution, eyebrows slightly narrowed in confusion. He couldn't take any chances right now, none at all. Although he was confident that Reborn and the others would help him when he really needed it, he didn't want to attempt anything dangerous anytime soon. Still, that left the question as to why the newcomers would talk to him. It was odd after all. He had never really interacted with any of them before and if they had heard the rumors about him, why would they even want to talk to him? The more he thought about it the odder it became.

"Hey, no need to be scared," Yamamoto waved his hands before him, trying to show that he had come in peace. However, that did little to dispel the tension. Giving a small laugh, he rubbed the back of his head and turned towards his companion. "Well, I guess if we were to go straight to the point Gokudera and I was planning on heading out in a bit. We were just wondering if you'd like to come along, we never see you with anyone but your Assurers so we thought it would be nice to extend the invitation to you as well." Yamamoto continued to grin like everything was normal, his steps soft as he came closer and yet he blended in just right with the rest of the population. However, Tsuna thought there was something odd about the other. Something felt… abnormal about them compared to everyone else. He just couldn't place his finger on it.

Regardless, the Capturer shook his head. He couldn't go with them, not when his Assurers were all waiting for him back in his room for lunch. It would be rude to skip out on that. "Sorry, but I need to head back."

"You mean back to your dorm room?" There was a flash of disappointment within the black-haired male's eyes, but it was gone the next moment, disappearing as he smiled. It was a fake smile and Tsuna saw right through it, which only made him become more guarded.

The brunet didn't like where this was going, he took a step back and turned his body to the side. He was waiting for the perfect moment to escape, the way the silver-haired male was eyeing sent shivers down his spine. "Y-Yeah…"

"Well, we can follow you and when you're done, we can hang out afterwards! How about that?" Yamamoto's smile was still going strong, but Gokudera on the other hand, had irritation flashing through his eyes, growing as the conversation went on. Tsuna could see those fingers digging into the arms and he bit his bottom lip as a dark aura began to surround the other. He was beginning to feel… scared.

"N-No, I have already someone waiting for me there so I need to go. T-Thanks for the offer. I um… appreciate it." As Tsuna began to take three steps away from the two, he turned around just as someone else appeared around the corner. He blinked in surprise, recognizing the newcomer as one of the other transfer students that were in a different class to his own. It had only been a passing glimpse of the group, but he remembered them clearly. Still, when he looked over those features of the newcomer, they appeared so very familiar to someone he knew, but it was a blur as he tried to put it together. As he thought that, he felt the sudden fear from those behind and tilted his head when he glanced at them before going back to the newcomer. His eyes roamed over the person, carefully taking in every characteristic. This male had short black hair and wore the school uniform in a slightly different manner compared to everyone else. He had his jacket hanging off his shoulders and the moment he spotted the group of three, he gave a piercing glare.

"Herbivores, you're crowding." The man spoke with a growl and glanced to the two behind Tsuna before focusing on the brunet in-between them.

"A-Ah, Hibari, what are you doing here?" Yamamoto laughed quietly, his nervousness showing through his mask, and scratched the back of his head as if he didn't want to be there. He had even taken a step back as if desiring to run away from the very sight of the other.

"Clearing the hallways."

"Ah, of course. Still the same I see." The taller of the two took a step back again while Gokudera gave an annoyed 'tch', but Tsuna remained where he was. He needed to go around the newcomer to get to his dorm building. Slowly, he slipped around without saying a word, tempted to start running when all of a sudden a silver metal rod came out of nowhere and slammed right before his face into the wall. A loud smack echoed in the silent hallway, making all those that heard it flinch.

The brunet stared at the weapon before him with wide eyes as his mind tried to process the image. Just after, he released a high-pitched scream and tripped over his own feet as he tried to gain some distance, falling on his backside painfully. His honey-colored eyes continued to widen in fear, not expecting someone to turn on him that fast and for no reason. "W-What did I do?"

"Herbivore, fight me." Hibari commanded, brandishing a pair of what appeared to be tonfa.

Tsuna felt a droplet of sweat drip down the side of his face and stood up shakily. "W-What are you talking about? I can't fight!"

These words didn't cause the other to let up and instead, he stepped closer, taking aim with his left arm. The tonfa slammed into the floor underneath the brunet, hard enough to create cracks in the wooden floorboards. Pieces of it crumbled at the force, shuffling into the center of the hole. Tsuna let out another scream and shrunk away at that. If that had hit him… he didn't want to think about the damage it could do.

"Hibari, you bastard, don't go attacking Juudaime's little brother like that!" Gokudera immediately yelled out, but didn't do anything to help the situation. He simply stood there with his arms crossed, glaring at both Hibari and the brunet trembling on the ground. Tsuna blinked in confusion as those words crossed his mind. Brother? Was this Giotto's fault? He knew his older brother, Dino, wasn't the type of person to do such things after all so that only left Giotto.

"Pathetic," Hibari just sneered as he pulled away, staring down at the brunet as if he wasn't worth the time. He stepped back to allow enough of a chance for Tsuna to stand up, watching as the Capturer automatically put some distance between them. "You're not worth my time. You're nothing like Vongola Decimo."

"H-Huh?"

"Kyoya," A voice broke out among the group and all heads turned towards the Chinese-looking man at the very back, who had just stepped out from behind the pillar. His routine smile was gone and he was positively glaring at the smaller version of him. Tsuna's eyes widened once more, this time in shock as he compared the two before his very eyes. He could see both the differences and similarities clearly now that they were side by side, and stepped closer towards his Assurer, almost like he was hiding behind his friend's protection. Fong placed a shielding arm in front of the brunet, clearly covering him from everyone else in the room, and kept his eyes rested on the three before him, especially Hibari. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"None of your business." Hibari got back into a fighting stance, a glare crossing his lips, and was looking like he was tempted to strike out at the man dressed in red robes. There was rage rolling off his very being, almost like he was irritated at something.

"Now, now, there's no need to attack innocent bystanders like this." Fong's smile was strained as it slowly spread across his lips and his eyes were narrowed sharply, watching everything around him. He spared a momentary glance at the other two students before ignoring them since the most dangerous of the group was just before him. When Hibari didn't reply to that, the fox took a step forward taking a deep breath before releasing it. His dark eyes sharpened almost instantly and when he spoke, there was a sense of darkness corroding it. "Kyoya, we may be _cousins,_ but do not think I'll forgive you if you harm my Capturer."

Now that got a response from the other. Hibari peered at the brunet with an eyebrow raised, almost like he had been offended. "You made a contract? With this herbivore? You're a carnivore, there's no need to be connected with such weaklings." His stance faltered for a moment, surprise stronger than his desire to fight.

"That's for me to say."

Hibari was now glaring, taking a step forward as he raised his tonfa.

The fox didn't look concerned and stood his ground, keeping Tsuna safe from his family member. However, the brunet could tell that Fong's smile was beginning to become strained from irritation. "I do not know _why_ you're here in this school of all places and hidden like this considering you and your… friends are Meraviglians. But it does not matter to me. If you harm Tsuna, I _will_ fight back," There was an icy tone in Fong's voice, momentarily making Tsuna shiver at the danger he was sensing. "Do you honestly think you can defeat me? I can defeat both you and your brother, Alaude together, without much trouble and that was with me still holding back. If I so desired you would be dead before you even had the time to process it."

That made the other growl in frustration, backing off slightly. The other two students, Gokudera and Yamamoto, had their eyes widening in surprise, almost like they couldn't believe what they were hearing. It was as if they were shocked about something. What that was specifically, Tsuna didn't know. He wasn't entirely sure if he was actually following the conversation all that well. Regardless of the threat, Hibari didn't budge from his position any more and narrowed his eyes further. "Why does an Arcobaleno want to bond himself with such a weakling? It's ridiculous."

"Arcobaleno?" Gokudera muttered under his breath in shock, the first time Tsuna had even seen such a reaction from the silver-haired male. "Do you mean _the_ Arcobaleno? As in one of the strongest group of all Meraviglians?"

Yamamoto glanced towards his companion, unsure on what to do or say. He simply watched from behind, keeping himself still as he listened in.

Fong continued, "I'll do whatever I want. But if you so much hurt my Capturer, I _will_ fight back. And do you really think you'll even have a chance against me? You yourself don't have a pact while I do. I think the difference between our strength has grown quite exceptionally because of this."

The two family members were now glaring and slowly, Tsuna reached up to grasp the back of Fong's robe. The fox blinked in surprise before breaking out into a soft smile, hoping to disarm Tsuna's questioning and fearful expression. Large hands reached up to pat the soft brown hair affectionately, ruffling the locks gently, and turned Tsuna around to leave. It would be safer to get out now than to continue staying where there was a high chance of everything becoming chaotic.

Fong sent one last glare at the rest of the students. "Don't come near Tsuna again or you'll be facing the Arcobaleno's wrath. We don't take so kindly when someone close to us gets hurt," He gave a tender shove on Tsuna's back to get him moving, the two walking away to head back to the dorm room. "Now then, if you'll excuse us. And tell that Capturer of yours to stop bothering us, if not, next time I'll personally make it happen and I won't hold back."

As the two turned the corner, unaware of the frightened gazes, Tsuna peered back up at the older man with a slight tint on his cheeks from the closeness. The warm grasp around him was comfortingly close and he couldn't help but lean against it, enjoying the touches. As he nudged closer to that heat, he thought back on the three transfer students, wondering what they really had wanted from him. His brother had been mentioned too, and now that he actually was focusing on the details, didn't they look similar to some of Giotto's Assurers? Just a little younger with distinct outward differences.

Fong chuckled at the attachment from the brunet, wrapping an arm around Tsuna to draw him closer, and rubbed his back gently. However, just like Tsuna, his mind was also wondering over the previous events. 'Looks like I'll have to tell the others that there're Meraviglians disguising themselves to go after Tsuna,' Despite his thought, Fong continued to make his usual soft expression to keep Tsuna's calm and quickly made his way around the school. 'And to think Kyoya of all people had joined in. Must be Vongola's work. If it is then Tsuna's older brother, Giotto, is involved.'

The Chinese-looking man chuckled when he felt Tsuna burying himself further into the warmth as they walked, ignoring the looks from other people.

'Tsuna, you have quite a bit of problems, don't you?'

* * *

Tsuna sighed heavily to himself as he looked up at the large hotel before him. It was overly fancy with the outside colored in gold paint and sculptures just outside the structure. The style of the building was European, each marble carved into perfection. People were wearing expensive clothes, looking completely neat and overly fashioned compared to Tsuna. Males had suits, looking classy, while the females had gowns with fashionable jewelry decorating their ears and necks. Even the servers were wearing tuxes as they greeted each person with a smile on their faces. All sorts of races gathered here, Tsuna could easily tell them apart by the structure of their faces and the tones of their voices.

The brunet glanced down at himself, knowing he looked out of place with his regular clothes consisting of jeans and a shirt. It was nothing compared to everyone else and he was certain he was receiving some stares – most not too pleasant. His companions, despite also not being dressed the same way as anyone else, seemed to blend right in. All three of his Assurers had just stepped out of the car, looking over everything around them in curiosity. The ride over to the hotel had been interesting to the say the least.

"My, things are quite similar to our world. To an extent, of course. We don't really have these cars after all." Fong commented from the side, studying the various people and technology around him eagerly. He raised a sleeve up against his mouth and smiled underneath it.

"It's kinda cool! Some of the vehicles look like the ones Skull would work on, kora."

Reborn just snorted, not interested in all the people surrounding them. Despite being from another planet, they blended right in with the populace more so than Tsuna did. Some of the humans stared at them curiously, many remaining on the older males who had the appearances of models. No one questioned them as the group of four stepped through the front doors of the hotel, the hosts letting them through with a bow. Once inside, those behind him couldn't help but stare at their surroundings.

"It's quite fancy," Fong muttered under his breath as he took in the crystal chandelier and the various lamps that were hooked against the pillars of the walls. There was a red carpet on the marble floor that lead up to the front desk and the paintings that decorated the area were fitting. Each painting was different from the next, but they all held the same theme of tranquility. "But I think it's a bit overdone."

Tsuna took a moment to eye a few paintings, but quickly went on, not really bothered with them since he could easily find them online. They were fakes after all, well done fakes, but fakes regardless. His eyes went to the front, ignoring the males who were at the side of the room, watching everyone who moved through. It was clear that they were bodyguards and he wouldn't be surprised if some of them were from his family. As he got closer to the front desk, he listened to the small chatter behind him from his friends, almost laughing at the amusement in their tones. It was funny how easily they were amazed by the things in his world, but he couldn't blame them. He had done the same when he had first arrived in theirs.

"Um…" Tsuna muttered first upon reaching the front, a little hesitant at speaking. The person at the front desk raised an eyebrow at him before giving a huff, turning his attention elsewhere. It was like the receptionist hadn't even wanted to bother listening. Tsuna flinched, feeling nervous all of a sudden but he went on. "Excuse me. I'm here to meet someone. Could you tell me what floor they are on?"

"Are you sure you're in the right place?" The receptionist grumbled, almost glaring at the apparent offender. "I mean, you don't really look like you… fit in."

"Yeah, I know. I just came from school so I didn't really prepare myself. But my name is Sawada Tsunayoshi. I'm sure you had someone tell you that they were waiting for me."

"Actually, no, we don't. We were given no such message."

Tsuna blinked, backing away momentarily in confusion. "That's odd. Normally they would to make things easier for me to head upstairs."

Colonello, who had been hearing the conversation, leaned over. "I take it that you can't just head up yourself, kora?"

Shaking his head, Tsuna spoke, "No, they have guards in this place and I was never told which room exactly." He rubbed the bottom of his chin as he thought about what he could do. His companions remained quiet behind, looking at each other curiously. "Well, I can always give my brother a call. It would make things easier." Just as he was about to reach into his pocket to grab his cell phone, the elevator door opened up to let out a small crowd of people. Among them was a redhead dressed in slacks and a white button-up shirt with a tattoo covering half his face. Tsuna didn't notice the male, too engulfed with his phone as he searched his contacts.

However, the redhead did. G smirked at the sight before him, momentarily reaching up to his lips for his cigarette, only to realize that there wasn't one. Grumbling under his breath, he placed one hand into his pocket and slowly made his way closer, knowing exactly what the brunet was trying to do. "Yo, Tsuna!" His eyes watched as Tsuna flinched at the sudden call and spun around to see him in shock. When he saw who exactly had called him, he relaxed slightly. G was tempted to shake his head until he took notice of Tsuna's Assurers. 'Hmm, there's more now …' He continued onwards until he stopped before the group of four. "I see you've arrived. Here, I'll take you upstairs. Everyone else has already arrived."

"Oh…" Tsuna bit his bottom lip, already thinking that he might be in trouble for his tardiness. He glanced down at his watch to see the time and gave a 'huh' as he took into consideration of the hands. "R-Really? I arrived five minutes before the time. Am I in trouble?"

"Huh?" G raised an eyebrow, taking a few steps away. "No, not that I'm aware of. And everyone just decided to arrive earlier. The flights that had most of the family were actually on time instead of being late like we predicted."

A sigh of relief slipped pass Tsuna's lips. "Oh, thank goodness."

"Well come on. The faster you do this, the faster you get out."

The three Assurers remained quiet, watching the interaction between Tsuna and Giotto's right-hand man curiously. Shrugging their shoulders, they went on as they followed the two to the elevator. The guards were no longer bothering them with their eyes and the receptionist could be heard grumbling in the background before shifting over into a more positive expression when the next batch of customers came to the desk. As the metal doors opened, Tsuna couldn't help but feel like he wanted to run away. He didn't want to be here, didn't want to be anywhere close to where his father was. But some things were impossible to escape from. He turned around in the elevator and watched as the doors closed on the rest of the world, leaving him in his thoughts.

However, a warm hand touched his right shoulder and he snapped his head to see Reborn beside him. The raven didn't give any ounce of emotion but his mere presence relaxed Tsuna. "Don't worry about anything. We're here for you. We'll protect you if things go wrong."

Those mere words seemed to reassure the brunet and Tsuna gave a bright smile, nudging himself closer to the older male. "Thanks. That really means a lot."

Colonello and Fong chuckled from the side, shifting closer towards the brunet as they offered their bit to help reassure Tsuna. The Capturer just smiled in amusement, enjoying the sudden attention. G simply watched, shaking his head, and ran a hand through his red hair. As the doors opened with a loud ding, the group walked out and followed G, taking notice of their surroundings. There were more men guarding the area and the hallways looked overly decorated in classy items that didn't fit even the hotel's nature. Still, everything was so expensive-looking and Tsuna was afraid of actually reaching out to examine one of the items. There was a double door near the very back of the hallway and Tsuna sighed heavily as he knew what was waiting on the other side. G was the first one to arrive and used a cardkey to open the door, entering first. Everyone else followed behind.

Tsuna immediately spotted a person waiting on the other side and swallowed thickly as he recognized those features. "Hello, Tsunayoshi. I see you came with those supposed friends of yours."

The brunet flinched, raising his head towards the older man before him. "Yeah, I'm here, Dad…"


	32. Chapter 32

Tsuna would've shrunk further down if it was physically possible as his eyes stared down at his feet unwillingly. He didn't want to look up and see that hate-filled gaze directly on him, just waiting for him to screw up on something even if it was minor. He placed his fingers together like a ball, picking at his fingernails as he tried to wait out the silence, wait until everything was over. His could feel his Assurers supporting him from behind, offering support, but it didn't help much when his father was right before him, the man's imposing figure looking down at him. Fong moved first, placing a hand against Tsuna's arm and giving a warm smile in hopes of disarming the fear. It was a wonderful effort on his friend's part, trying to encourage him, but it wasn't enough to shake Iemitsu's influence.

As that occurred, Iemitsu continued to stare over the group of four, his blue eyes roaming specifically over the so-called friends that belonged to his youngest son. The man had his arms crossed against his chest, standing imposingly over the group with his tall figure despite being at the same height as most of the males, and was dressed in a classic black suit. His short blond hair was combed back neatly and his beard was shaven tidily to fit his physique. There was no doubt he was a businessman, dressed to appear in every formal occasion and for his clients as well despite this being a family meeting. His eyes glanced down at his watch momentarily, his blue eyes filled with coldness as he took in the hands on the clock. "You're on time for once," His voice was dark, a loud bass as it boomed through the hallway, and empty of warmth. He snapped his gaze back up towards the youngest child. "Make sure that continues. You make us look bad if you're late on anything. Even for something like this."

Tsuna flinched, shifting back a little. "R-Right…"

The Assurers remained quiet in the background, each watching the scene carefully as if examining every advance, every little tone of the voice, every shift of the body. They glanced around the hallway, noticing how it blended in with the outside of the door and the artifacts and decorations. There was little to no difference. The hallway before the group extended further down into what seemed to be a large room, unable to be seen on the other side. G made a 'tch' and pulled his hands from out of his pockets, knowingly gaining the attention of Iemitsu. He stepped forward, running a hand through his red hair, and inadvertently revealed more of his tattoo that covered half of his face. It was like he had finally been noticed, like he had previously been hiding in the background. His sharp eyes closed for a second as he took in a deep breath before sighing heavily, knowing what was going to happen next. He had been in this nutty family long enough to be able to predict it.

Iemitsu sneered. "And _you_ need to fix that face of yours. The right-hand man of Giotto's can't be looking like such a snob, and that horrible tattoo of yours should be removed immediately. And don't make that sound, if you have something to say then say it."

G twitched, his fingers reaching up to his lips as if he was grabbing a cigarette, only to realize that there wasn't one. It had been the same reaction when he had arrived on the first floor. He glared, not one to back down from insults. "Oh, there are a lot of things I would like to say to you, but I'd rather not. Now can we move on? We're delaying things the longer we stay here and I'm sure we all have our own things to do after this meeting. I can't have Giotto being late for a meeting because _someone_ wants to stall in the hallway." Iemitsu narrowed his eyes at that, almost looking like he wanted to say something before turning around and heading down the hallway. A little of steam was smoking from his face, slightly embarrassed by G's remark. This left the redhead and the group of four at the door, watching as the male disappeared around the corner and out of sight. G glanced towards the group before drifting down to Tsuna to give an amused smirk, shrugging his shoulders as if entertained. "Kid, just do the same things you always do during these damn meetings and nothing should happen."

"Ah," The brunet lifted his head up and nodded in compliance, looking slightly happy at the advice. "T-Thanks." He watched as G reached into the front pocket of his button-up shirt to grab a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. The redhead repeatedly knocked the top of the packet against the palm of his hand before popping one of the sticks out at the very edge. His lips wrapped around the end, pulling the cigarette away, and carefully maneuvered the stick around until it reached the edge of his mouth. Once the packet was put away, the lighter was flipped open with a reddish-orange flame burning at the very tip, almost as if it was dancing in the dark. Soon, the end of the cigarette was lit and G was pulling it away from his mouth, a trail of smoke following behind as a light stench of tobacco lingered in the air. Tsuna watched in mild-fascination before speaking, "So, G, is everyone already sitting down?"

G breathed in a long deep puff of smoke, filling his lungs before releasing it from the edge of his lips. He purposely blew the smoke away from the brunet, directing it towards a painting in hopes of damaging it out of spite. "Yep, except for us. The whole fucked up family is down there waiting," He received curious glances from everyone and he smirked once more as if nothing was wrong. "What? I can't say that?" G almost chuckled, puffing out another breath of smoke. "In regards to this family, I would be an idiot to say otherwise. If anything, I'd say you're the most normal of the group."

With those words, the right-hand man of Giotto's headed down the hallway, following Iemitsu's steps half a minute behind. This left the group of four near the front door and slowly they trailed along, wondering what would happen during this meeting. Reborn kept watch from the side, his mind repeatedly echoing the redhead's words as he tried to connect them. He remembered Tsuna mentioning that G had watched out for him in the past, calling him now and then to keep him up to date on certain matters. Reborn silently hummed to himself, continuing to think as he stepped towards the open room. As they arrived on the other side they discovered it was a large dining room that was decorated, much like everything else in the hotel, with classy furniture and various paintings.

In the center was a long table that could hold about twenty people and it was obvious that there was a kitchen behind the double doors to the left of the room. The rest of the hotel room was to the right where a hallway was easily seen spreading out into another one and a large room. The raven could pick up the sounds of pots and pans clattering and various footsteps on the left side, he identified it as dinner being prepared. The chairs at the table were made of a dark wood that had obviously been varnished and was leather-cushioned in both the back rest and seat areas. The leather had clearly been polished and the wood had special designs carved into it with such dedication that it looked like it had been made by hand. His dark onyx eyes then focused on the members of Tsuna's family who sat along the table with almost no care in the world. Everyone glanced up at them almost in sync with various emotions flashing through their eyes and Tsuna automatically flinched under the gazes before shuffling over to a seat that was beside Dino. His Assurers followed beside him, Reborn claiming the spot next to Tsuna with Colonello and Fong following in session.

As the raven settled into his seat, his eyes inspected each person in the room individually, as if he was trying to pick them apart. He analyzed them from the clothes they wore to the way they moved. Beside Iemitsu was a woman with shoulder-length brown hair and a bright smile that looked unnatural beside the overly buffed man. The smile greatly reminded him of Tsuna's whenever he was incredibly happy, glowing brilliantly as if it was a precious gem. He immediately deduced that this was Tsuna's mother, Nana. She was no doubt beautiful, maintaining a delightful element that seemed strange when sitting beside her husband, and shone with charm. She was almost bouncy, humming gently to herself as she fixed a vase of flowers before her on the table, before moving her eyes once more. Nana glanced towards her darling, whispering something into his ear with a cheerful smile, and Reborn could only watch as Iemitsu's facial expression changed from stone-hard to a lovey-dovey one. It made him sick. He was actually tempted to throw up at the sight of them.

Reborn moved onto the next person, the one seated beside the wife, an older man that was well within his years. The human man had aged greatly, his skin sagging slightly from the lost of fat and muscle that came from the degeneration of the physical form. His gray hair was combed back to keep the strands from falling into his face and he had a bushy mustache sitting over his upper lip. The raven immediately connected the dots and identified him as Timoteo, Tsuna's grandfather. The whole family was here, every single one of them. Reborn almost wanted to laugh at the setting, but he resisted, not wanting to draw any attention to himself so soon into the gathering. He was actually more surprised that he and the other Assurers had been welcomed into the meeting so easily considering the family's need for confidentiality.

Dino shifted first, peeking between the two groups hesitantly: his family and Tsuna's. He could tell that there was tension already growing on both sides and cleared his throat to draw everyone's attention. He held himself steady, showing no signs of fear or disrespect. He was a professional after all and he needed to keep up an appearance when his family was present despite it supposing to be informal. "So, Mom, how has your work been going?"

The waiters and waitresses wandered about the room, dispersing items for the family and friends onto the table, before quickly leaving to give the group some peace. Nana smiled brilliantly, leaning forward against the table, and chuckled. "Quite well, actually. I think I'm about to make a new recipe, I just need to work on it a little more to make sure that it hasn't been done before. It's quite hard to tell these days with so many people working on these sorts of things. There's just so much competition these days."

"Well, I'm sure it'll be a hit as always," Iemitsu chimed in, lifting an elegantly detailed porcelain cup from a saucer on the table to his lips, drinking what smelled like black coffee. The scent of it dispersed throughout the room. "Your cooking is as great as always. It's a shame you couldn't cook for us today, but I guess it's a good break for you at the same time."

"Of course!" The wife just laughed, the couple looking so affectionate compared to the usual stern faces, particularly Iemitsu. The Assurers nearly growled in frustration, finding the sight before their eyes irritating and wanting nothing more than to destroy it out of vindictiveness. G smirked, holding his cancer stick in-between his fingers, and shook his head as he let his shoulder-length hair swish side to side. There was no doubt he understood that feeling all too well. His red eyes glanced towards his Capturer and gave a small nudge with his elbow, watching as Giotto blinked questionably at the sudden touch. When the blond saw the smirk resting on his right-hand man's face, Giotto gave a huff and nudged back before turning away from his friend and confidant. It was like they had shared a conversation between them without any words being exchanged. G plucked his cigarette from his lips, rubbing the bud into an ashtray that was before the table. From the side, Reborn simply watched the interactions in peace, keeping himself still as he listened to the husband and wife chat about their adventures. Everyone else basically kept quiet, letting them speak about what they wanted with no interruptions. It was no longer business related, just their simple pleasures of the day.

Eventually, the eldest of the group, Timoteo, cleared this throat to get everyone's attention, snapping the two lovebirds out of their little moment to get the topic back at hand. "It's good to see that you two are as in love as always, but let's move onto other subjects shall we?" The two lovers laughed at each other, earning burning glares from Tsuna's Assurers that was well hidden to not attract attention. It was like they were actually pleasant to everyone except their youngest. It wasn't right, they all knew that. "Now then, Giotto," The man's eyes snapped towards the middle son, the blond raising his head slightly as if letting everyone know he had heard. "Has the business been running fine?"

"Of course, never better." Short and blunt, it was clear he didn't want to go into depth about the subject and immediately closed his eyes to turn away. It was his way of letting everyone know he was done talking and the family humbly accepted it. They didn't have to bother him as much considering how well everything was already going, confident that Giotto could handle everything completely effortlessly. G almost snickered in enjoyment, relishing his Capturer's reactions to everyone. It was like he could never have a dull moment around him. The redhead leaned against the table with his elbow propping up his head, able to get a better view of everyone, while ignoring the heated glare from Iemitsu from his _disrespectful_ position.

"And you, Dino?"

The eldest rubbed the back of his head at the sudden attention, though he had already expected it. "The same. I got a new contract with another company. It's minor, but an improvement from before."

Timoteo nodded his head in approval. "That's good to hear." He didn't turn to his last and youngest grandson, avoiding him completely, and reached down for his cup of tea that had been brought in just moments before by a waitress. It was silent after that, the conversation quickly dying off as the family had nothing else to converse about. However, the brunet was glad, seeing as he'd rather not get drilled on the subject of how he was doing in school after all. Tsuna kept his coffee against his lips, making sure to keep as quiet as possible. It was easier this way. He was less likely to get in trouble if he kept to himself. It was as G had stated, if he did the same thing like every other meeting, he would get out unscathed.

However, fate wasn't on his side. Iemitsu snapped his head towards the brunet, his blue eyes gazing at the young man who had been silent the entire time. "Now don't you stay quiet on us, anything to report on your side?" It was like everyone had become aware of the other son in the room, no one speaking up in the brunet's defense.

Tsuna flinched and almost dropped his cup at the sudden attention, clearly not expecting it. If Reborn hadn't reached over to place a finger underneath the porcelain to keep it balanced he probably would have. Muttering a small 'thanks' to the raven he peered warily at his father. "Not really. It's just the same old."

"As usual." Iemitsu's snarled comment snapped through the room, evidently showing his disappointment for his youngest. He quickly moved on, glancing towards the trio who had arrived with the brunet. "So," Iemitsu huffed, settling into his seat quite comfortably despite the tension that was slowly growing in the room. His blue eyes looked over Tsuna's Assurers, taking everything about them in carefully as if figuring something out. "You're Tsuna's… friends, right?"

Almost instantly, the Assurers narrowed their eyes at the unruly statement, knowing there was some venom laced in it. It was like Iemitsu didn't believe a single thing before his eyes, discrediting Tsuna even before anything happened. It was almost like he was accusing them of being hired to be there.

"That's right…" Fong was the first one to speak up, keeping his voice even despite the strain of his gentle smile that was beginning to unravel on his lips. His smile suddenly twitched and a small dark aura began to surround him as he tried to keep himself calm. His motions immediately kept the other two in check, balancing them out.

"What's your occupation? Or are you all still in school?" Before anyone could speak up, Iemitsu beat them. He raised his right hand and pointed it towards Colonello. "You don't need to speak. You're obviously in the military from the way you're dressed. You'll get your pension later in life after you quit. Well, if you're still alive after it or haven't suffered some pathetic brain injury. No, wait, you'll still get it along with some other checks for the latter."

The blond almost snapped at the sudden disregard, his fingers digging into the arms of his chair. A few cracks of wood were heard from the pressure and it was only Fong's quick glance of worry that kept Colonello from striking. Reborn remained still, his arms crossed against his chest, and leaned back against the chair as if observing. Giotto and Dino kept quiet, not wanting to interfere, with the latter looking like he wanted to excuse himself from the room. G raised an eyebrow and leaned forward just slightly to snoop better, his eyes clearly interested in the current turn of events. Nana and Timoteo simply listened, keeping themselves in their own little corner as if there was nothing wrong.

Fong almost wanted to sigh as he spoke, "I don't have an occupation at this very moment. I'm taking odd jobs, sometimes being a teacher or a bodyguard. It's whatever I get hired for."

"So you're useless… You have nothing in your future," Iemitsu grumbled, clearly aware of the harm in his words. He watched as the Assurer jumped in surprise, but ignored it, turning his attention towards the last man among the group of three. It was evident in his eyes that he wasn't pleased with Tsuna's choice of friends and he didn't bother to hide those opinions from his expression. He just simply didn't care. He had already deemed them all unworthy. "And you?" This time he was staring at the raven, inspecting him carefully. It was easy to see that Reborn was dressed differently, more refined than the other males, with a suit that was quite expensive-looking. From the way the man was clothed, Iemitsu gave a minor nod in consent.

Reborn reached up to flick his fedora, getting it out of his eyes, but retaining the shade it left behind. He lingered quietly for a few moments, letting the silence become agonizingly painful, before offering a cunning smirk. "I'm an assassin. A hitman if you need more information. I kill people for a living."

The room went immediately still at that announcement, all eyes snapping towards him. Surprise flashed through everyone's eyes, even Iemitsu couldn't conceal his own as he stared at the raven. Tsuna almost choked on his drink, coughing gently as he tried to clear his lungs. The rest of the family could only blink. As soon as the surprise passed, the large blond man just snorted in disbelief, his expression dropping. "You're lying."

The raven just shrugged his shoulders, not caring at all. "Whatever you'd like to believe."

Fong and Colonello shifted in their seats at those words, obviously knowing whether it was the truth or not. Tsuna simply stared, not sure what else to do but remain quiet. He didn't want to draw attention to himself into the meeting especially after what Reborn had suddenly announced. Still, he was interested in the whole thing. That reminded him of the room Reborn had been in previously and had forced him out soon after. He still remembered the various pictures inside. Those two things couldn't be connected, right? Still the conversation was between Reborn and his father. He wouldn't dare interrupt now, not when the heated debate was escalating rapidly from the glares on both sides.

"And why would you do… such a job?" It was obvious that Iemitsu didn't believe a single word, but was continuing the conversation for the sole purpose of discovering the truth.

Reborn just smirked. "Because I like it. I get a lot of money doing such jobs," The room continued to remain silent, unsure what to do exactly. Only Giotto and G kept composed, probably because they knew the truth behind Reborn's words better than anyone else. "I feel that it suits me perfectly, don't you think so?" The grin on Reborn's lips looked absolutely predatory. "The hunt is sometimes the best thing about it."

Iemitsu twitched as he shifted in his seat, already feeling uncomfortable from the gaze. Immediately he turned towards his youngest. "This is your friend?"

Tsuna scratched the side of his right cheek nervously. "Yeah, he is. He's been helping me for about a few months now. And he introduced me to everyone else here."

The raven snorted and leaned forward against the table, chuckling in amusement. "That's right, and the others act as assassins now and then for the extra cash. We don't always like to admit it so openly, but I think you deserve to know so that you understand just who you're trying to mess with. I can't have you getting in _my_ way."

For a split second, fear appeared within those blue eyes, but it was gone the next as wrath began to surface. The blond tightly gripped into the arms of his chair and it began to snap under the compression, pieces of it crumbling down onto the floor. The family members flinched at the sight, not used to seeing their leader raging so terribly like this and so easily, too. Tsuna looked like he wanted to shrink under the tension while Reborn simply remained the same merrily. The rest of the Assurers just sighed at the complication that Reborn was making, but didn't do anything to fix the mess, knowing very well that whatever the raven got into, he could get out on his own.

The black-haired male chuckled, glad to see such a reaction before continuing, "Now, can we get this damn meeting over with already? I'm busy and I'm sure you are, too. We're not here for the petty pleasantries."

"How rude of you," Timoteo spoke calmly from the edge of the table. "You should be kinder and more respectful towards your elders. You look quite young to be getting into that sort of business anyway. There are better things in life than just hits."

"Oh please, I'm old enough and I'm definitely older than _him_ ," Reborn placed more emphasis on his last words as he glared towards the blond. "Now, let's move on already."

No one spoke after that, too afraid to attempt anything with the constantly rising tension in the room. Everyone was looking among each other in an effort to carry a conversation, but no one dared to speak up in fear of retaliation. Eventually, Dino stood up, drawing most of the attention towards himself almost instantly. The eldest son reached into his pocket to grab his cell phone and waved it around for everyone to see. "I'm going to make a quick call. I'll be back in a bit." Those words snapped everyone into getting a small pause to relax, wanting to break away from the room in hopes of calming the tension.

As the eldest left the room, Tsuna was soon to follow with a nervous smile. He skidded in his seat silently before rushing into the back rooms towards the waiters and waitresses to hide from everyone's stares. The Assurers silently grumbled in the background before Reborn stood up to follow, trailing after the brunet with his hands inside his pockets. It was clear that Tsuna was trying to hide, desiring to disappear for a few moments to get out of the fire while Reborn just wanted to follow out of mere amusement. As the two slipped behind the swinging doors, the room seemed to calm down as quiet chatter began to rise up in response to keep the tension down. On the other side of the doors, Tsuna was mumbling under his breath, staring at Reborn for a moment before shaking his head. The workers in the room ignored them for the time being, busy with their own work for the Sawada family.

"Oh?" The raven started, leaning over the younger male as he peered into those honey-colored eyes. They were settled towards a corner of the kitchen, keeping out of the chaos of the middle where the workers were wondering about. "I thought you would have spoken up about what I did in there."

Tsuna sighed heavily, shaking his head again as he rubbed his fingers against his forehead in frustration as he leaned against the wall. "I was thinking of it, but then I decided otherwise. You wouldn't have listened to me anyway." Pulling away his right hand, he closed his eyes before reopening them to stare into that familiar gaze.

Reborn chuckled in amusement, leaning against the brunet lightly so as not to place too much pressure against the smaller male. His sharp eyes watched the human carefully, ignoring his surroundings temporarily, and gently wrapped his arms around Tsuna's shoulders as he followed the brunet's movement against the wall. "You know me too well now." He pulled Tsuna in closer, preventing the Capturer from shifting too much or escaping and smirked in amusement when he heard the other 'eep' in surprise, not expecting the sudden push.

Tsuna colored lightly from the closeness but didn't resist, knowing he was trapped, and instead huffed as he lifted his head up to stare into those onyx-colored eyes. There was one part of the conversation during the meeting that still rang in his mind. "But was it true? The hitman thing?"

"It was," Reborn shrugged his shoulders as he pulled back, wandering about the kitchen as he avoided the workers who were in the area. He snatched a few items of food from the various plates, not caring who they were supposed to go to. Tsuna sighed from behind, following behind to replace the stolen goods so that the workers wouldn't get in trouble for Reborn's selfishness. He quickly copied the recipes and if he couldn't replace them, he made sure that the dishes were even in size to prevent any oddities. The hitman glanced over, his sideburns bouncing at the movement as he observed the brunet. "Not going to say anything about it either? My, someone is quiet today."

Tsuna paused for a moment to peer over towards his companion as his hands hovered over the various dishes. "Hmm," He hummed to himself as he thought about it before drifting back to the plates as he shifted things around with care. "Honestly, I think that job kinda fits you. I can't really see you working as anything else because of your skills and personality."

The raven chuckled as he leaned once more against the brunet. "Is that so?" He glanced back towards the door, able to hear some of the conversations on the other side. Fong and Colonello were still there, keeping quiet. "So what now?"

"Not sure, really," Tsuna sighed once more. "I guess we'll just have to go out and see, won't we?" He gave a small smile, tilting his head to the side as he watched the raven. "But I do have a question. In the attic, that room… Is it connected to your job?"

Reborn raised his right arm to flick the edge of his fedora. "I was hoping you wouldn't notice, but I guess that artistic eye of yours is good for something," He ignored the little 'hey' in the background and continued, "But you're correct. The images you saw were from my previous hits. You know how killers like to keep trophies of their victims? Those images are mine. It's not exactly the smartest thing in the world since if they're found, it would be troublesome on my part, but I don't really care much anymore. It's not as if it isn't a well-known rumor that I'm a killer for hire." Leaning to the side, Reborn picked up a small piece of meat that had just finished being cooked, ignoring the glare from the chef. "That and no one messes with the Arcobaleno and lives to tell the tale. Not even Millefiore trifles with us as often despite our skirmishes in the past. I mean, we argue, but these days have been quiet since they've been focusing on someone else and we're not exactly a group that goes out to attack others unless paid or out of revenge for something they did first."

Tsuna shifted and continued to listen. "I see," He glanced over towards the door to the main room and huffed sadly as he thought about what could happen next the moment they stepped out. "Well, I guess we'd better go back in. We can't stay here forever and the servers are about to bring out the food."

"I guess so," Reborn wrapped his arm around the younger male, pulling him closer. "Don't worry too much, myself and the others are here for you after all. You're not alone in this."

"I know," The brunet smiled, leaning into the touch. "I'm not alone. I know I should be afraid of everything, but I'm not. Although, that stunt you pulled startled me quite terribly."

Reborn tilted his head to the side, his sideburns bouncing at the shift. "Poor you, but this is what you have to put up with since we're contracted together," He watched as Tsuna grumble under his breath before slowly dragging the brunet to the door. "Now man up, we're heading back out."

"Whatever you say, Reborn."


	33. Chapter 33

Tsuna didn't exactly want to step back out into the dining room where his family was currently located. It was obvious to him that staying in the kitchen with Reborn was much safer. There was nothing to fear in there; no meticulous people watching his every move, no disappointed father staring him down. Still, he had to go out eventually, despite his strong wish not to, and it was only with the raven's comforting presence that he was able to gather the strength to do so. He pushed open the swinging door that was in between the kitchen and the dining room and sighed heavily.

Peeking outside towards his family, he could see that his older brother was still missing from the table and his grandfather as well, both in separate rooms that extended from the hallways connected to the dinning area. Everyone else remained in the same seating arrangement and glanced up momentarily to see Tsuna and Reborn reenter the room with Tsuna's other two Assurers offering the pair a reassuring nod. The remaining individuals didn't care for the pair's reappearance and they all turned away, all except Iemitsu who was still in a rage from Reborn's previous comments Of course, this didn't bother Reborn at all as he kept an air of calm about himself and settled down into his previous spot with his arms crossed gently against his chest. He didn't even flicker an eyelash at the aura pointed towards him, he was unbothered by everything. Tsuna sighed at the sight, glad that for once it wasn't directed towards him. He peered over towards his two other companions with a smile and gave a friendly wave. Colonello and Fong returned the gesture, the latter giving a soft smile in return and a chuckle.

It was wonderful to see all of them with him, providing the support he needed to keep himself from collapsing under his family's influence. Tsuna glanced towards his other older brother, Giotto, watching as the blonde spoke with his right-hand man in hushed whispers. He couldn't hear anything, only watch as the lips moved up and down repeatedly. It was different seeing his brother and G speaking together, it was easy to tell that they were close friends and confidants despite being Capturer and Assurer.

"Looks like Xanxus will be arriving shortly. It seems he'll be able to make it to the family meeting after all." Timoteo spoke as he stepped suddenly into the room, carrying a cell phone in his right hand. He was smiling strangely brightly but despite the oddity he looked quite pleased about his announcement. However, the reaction that followed was… different. Iemitsu immediately began to grumble under his breath, clearly not delighted with the announcement while Giotto just sighed heavily as he placed a hand against his forehead in frustration. Nana continued to smile brilliantly beside her husband. However, it was more strained. Oddly, G was the only one who looked quite thrilled with the situation and Tsuna just stared, looking a little too nervous at the apparent arrival of his uncle. They all knew about Xanxus, it was hard to not know about him one way or another.

Reborn and the other Assurers appeared confused, but soon connected the dots on the subject. Xanxus was the leader of Varia, an extremely violent group that had currently been fighting with Millefiore. They'd had their own little skirmishes in the past but their fights were normally interrupted before anything could really happen. This was generally due to the fact that Viper was among the top officers of the group. Reborn glanced towards his two fellow companions, looking slightly worried that they could possibly be found out in terms of identity. They had seen each other's faces a few times so it was possible for the Varia actually remembered them as opposed to a vague recognition.

Fong nodded his head, raising one of his long sleeves up against his lips, wondering on the best course of action. Really, there wasn't much they could do considering the situation. The worst thing that could happen was Tsuna's family finding out that his Assurers were the Arcobaleno. Colonello grumbled silently to himself, leaning back against his chair as he tried to process a plan that could effectively cover them. Tsuna glanced up towards Reborn, tempted to say something and just as he opened his mouth to speak, he was interrupted by a loud yell.

"Voiiii!"

"E-Eh?" The brunet jumped, not expecting the sudden scream. He glanced around the room in wonder, trying to figure out what had caused the noise and where it had come from. The force the voice brought with it had been booming enough to rattle the lights hanging above him and he watched them swing from side to side in wonder. The rest of the family sighed quite loudly, even Iemitsu.

"Damn, he brought Squalo with him." Giotto leaned against the table with one arm, closing his eyes as his eyebrows narrowed in aggravation. The absolute elegant posture he normally kept up was completely gone, revealing irritation as it rolled off him in waves.

"That loud mouth, huh? Should have known he'd follow along," G covered his ears just as another scream echoed through the building. He winced like everyone else, even the Arcobaleno, though Reborn was much better at covering it up. The hitman kept himself as still as possible, already able to sense the Varia members as they made their way up the hotel through the use of the elevator. The power they held as mere humans with no contract was amazing, even Reborn had to mentally admit that. G rubbed the insides of his ears. "I can't tell if he's inside or outside the hotel now. It's just too goddamn loud."

"Same. But at least Squalo knows how to control Xanxus better than anyone else, though I can't tell who is better, honestly."

"They're both idiots."

Tsuna smiled weakly at the interactions, listening as his brother and G continued to taunt the Varia members. It was funny in a way; he normally didn't get to see his brother act this way around him or the rest of his family. He turned back to Reborn once more, tilting his head slightly. "Reborn?"

"Hm?" The raven didn't budge from his spot, his eyes simply snapped over to the brunet.

"Are we… going to be alright considering the circumstances?"

Reborn smirked, bringing confidence towards the younger male. "Of course. We can handle anything that comes our way. You know who we are after all. Even if we're found out, everything will turn out fine."

"True…"

The hitman rolled his eyes at the lack of response and gave a forceful nudge against the brunet's side. "Come on, you can do better than that. We both know that."

Tsuna pouted, but gave into the demand, nodding his head. "Yeah, yeah. I get it, you all-powerful idiot."

"Who are you calling an idiot?" Reborn teased back good-naturedly. As he spoke those words, and a smile lit the brunet's face, the front doors down at the entrance hallway suddenly slammed open, startling more than half of the room's occupants. Everyone's attention snapped towards the intruders, listening to them stomp down the hallway to the dining room that was at the very end. Iemitsu glared at the two men who entered the room for making so much noise, not even bothering to hide his hatred.

Xanxus, the one who was the obvious leader of the two, sneered back and appeared quite smug as he stepped in as if he owned the place. The man was dressed in a loose black and white suit with his coat hanging off his shoulders. His black hair was spiky and unkempt and his glowing red eyes peered over the entire group, stopping momentarily on Tsuna and his Assurers. Without a second thought, he turned away, much to the relief of said people. Xanxus stepped towards his own little spot beside his foster father and faced Iemitsu with a glare of his own as he took the spot. The man behind him was obviously Squalo, who had long silver hair going far below his hips and to the back of his knees. His dress code matched Xanxus' suit but was neater, he was looking quite proud of his boss and he waved his right arm around like he was trying to announce their arrival. However, if one were to take a better look at said arm, it wasn't normal, but made out of wood.

"Xanxus. Squalo. It's good to see you two today. Thank you for joining us." Timoteo smiled fondly at the sight of his adopted son, getting up from his seat momentarily to welcome the two. Xanxus' expression lightened for a moment, no glare in sight, but returned with a shake of hands. There was a flash of discomfort in his eyes when the older man came closer.

"I didn't want to come here." Xanxus sneered, setting down into his seat and leaning back against his chair. His feet were immediately propped up, much to Iemitsu's disdain, and he folded his arms across his chest. Squalo didn't mention anything, keeping quiet as he allowed his boss to do the talking for now. "But I'm here, so can we get this over with? And the food better be good."

"Of course." Nana spoke out this time, smiling brilliantly like there was nothing wrong. She was one of the few who didn't mind Xanxus' bad attitude since the man clearly enjoyed her cooking. "Even if it's not the type you're used to, I'm sure you'll like the food."

Xanxus huffed, but didn't argue any further on that subject. Squalo, however, took over. "Voi! Can we just talk about the situation? I can't leave the base unguarded and in the control of those morons! It'll be destroyed by the time we return."

"Well, considering that you're running a group of fighters, it's very possible." Timoteo smiled, his lips never falling.

Iemitsu grumbled. "You're welcome to leave anytime you like."

The Arcobaleno glanced at each other before Reborn moved, leaning towards Tsuna. The raven had been observing the entire setting and it wasn't hard to tell that there was a strange rift between the two adult males as they proceeded to glare across the room.

"What's up with those two?" Reborn muttered just loud enough for said two to hear. Tsuna looked up immediately, biting down on his bottom lip before beginning to answer. However, he was beaten to it.

"Tsunayoshi, don't say anything that intrudes on family matters. Your little friends don't need to know anything." Iemitsu cut off, glaring at his youngest. The amount of hatred in his eyes was the same as what he showed to Xanxus.

Reborn didn't give up, leaning closer and proceeded to nudge Tsuna once more. The brunet sighed heavily, glancing between his father and the raven. It was clear who won since he knew Reborn would protect him. "Well…" Tsuna bit down on his bottom lip before continuing. "Since the very beginning they never really got along. I can confidently say that they hate each other. It started long before I was born, but it had to do with the inheritance."

" _Tsunayoshi, don't say another word!_ " Iemitsu boomed, slamming his fists down onto the table. The contents rattled gently at the force, making Tsuna flinch in fear. It was just then that Dino walked in and looked like he was questioning everything he was seeing before him. It was clear his expression was asking 'what did I miss in ten minutes'.

Reborn glared in disappointment at not getting everything he wanted to hear, but he didn't say anything else, not wanting to get in too much trouble, especially in Tsuna's case. However, it was clear that Xanxus and Squalo's arrival had been ruined by the anger Iemitsu had shown, everyone going silent to keep the rage from being redirected to them. Now, because of that, talking among the family members was hard and everyone was looking at each other to find somewhere to start, unable to start a conversation peacefully. Xanxus glanced towards the Arcobalenos for a moment, raising an eyebrow up at the sight of them before looking away, calling one of the waiters to take his order. Dino settled into his seat, confused by the situation, but didn't speak up once, glancing in concern towards his youngest sibling.

"Now then, let's get down to business if all these petty interruptions are done," Iemitsu stated, regaining everyone's attention. Still, no one spoke up. "We need to speak about the matter pertaining to a certain company that's been going against us for a while, the Interigens. They've been trying to compete with our various fractions and buy their products underneath our noses."

"Ah, them." Giotto chimed in. "Yes, I'm already aware of that group. They've been causing trouble by sneaking up on my men and stealing secrets. We've already found the traitors and changed the orders. Regardless, they've been keeping us on our toes."

"Same here," Dino offered. "Luckily, my group is tighter as we found out pretty quickly upon sighting the traitor."

Tsuna peered up in confusion, tilting his head to the side as he listened to his family go on about family problems. He didn't understand why he needed to be here to listen to this. It wasn't as if it was useful to him anyway. He quietly sighed and peered up at Reborn, wondering what the older male was doing. He and the other Arcobaleno were paying attention, taking note about the family and the situation.

"Now then, we need to be careful from now on." Giotto interrupted Tsuna's train of thought. "From our research, this company appears dangerous. They're very willing to attempt kidnapping to get what they want in order to swindle more money and secrets out of us." Tsuna snapped into the conversation, now understanding why he had been called into this. "They made one against me recently, but my Assurers were able to take care of it easily since they are just regular people. Those who don't have any bodyguards of some sort will need them."

Dino nodded to confirm, knowing he had his own personal guards. Iemitsu would share his own with his wife. Varia didn't need any of that. And Timoteo had his own Assurers. The only problem was Tsuna… Of course the older brothers knew the truth, that the brunet had plenty of protection sitting right beside him.

"Tch, seems my youngest can't even defend himself from an enemy company," Iemitsu grumbled under his breath, rubbing his forehead in frustration. "All of us are capable of defending ourselves except for you." He looked at Tsuna as he spoke those words. The brunet almost jumped, ducking downwards as he tried to hide from the gaze.

Reborn immediately backed him up. "I think Tsuna has more than enough protection. He'll be fine. There's nothing to worry about."

The head of the group glanced towards the raven with a glare. "And let me guess, you'll be the one to protect him?"

"Obviously. Me and the rest of us." He glanced towards his companions and gave an arrogant smirk though he had every capability to do so. An aura of confidence radiated around him, daring anyone to challenge his power. The older brothers didn't say anything against that, knowing that it was very true. The Arcobaleno were too powerful to fight against, Giotto had already faced that power and he didn't want to face it again. He and his six Assurers couldn't even fight against one and they were already powerful enough as it was. No company would be able to do anything against them.

Iemitsu snorted in disbelief. "Just because you say you're a 'hitman' doesn't mean that it's true. You're just one person against a large group. You'll be killed even before the battle begins. I can't trust you to do anything, especially since you're connected to Tsunayoshi." He shook his head, not wanting to listen to any argument. "I'll send a group of men to the school to protect you. Hopefully, you won't be foolish enough to do something stupid like head outside by yourself."

"B-But!" Tsuna tried to talk back, desperately wanting to keep the peace of his place. It would make traveling so much harder if there were people watching him and his friends and there was a higher chance that someone might report back the findings about his friends' identities.

"Wait," Giotto cut in, stopping any argument that might have occurred, and stood his ground against his own father. He glanced towards his brother, giving a small nod, before going towards Iemitsu. "I believe Tsuna will be fine on his own. I can vouch for Tsuna's companions on their ability to fight. I would leave Tsuna's fate in their hands."

Iemitsu raised an eyebrow at his middle son's assertion, not expecting him of all people to raise a voice against him. Xanxus glanced towards those companions, observing the three carefully, before smirking. Unlike his idiotic older brother, he could tell when there was a strong opponent before him and those three were no doubt as tough as they could come, especially the man in the black fedora. Xanxus could sense it, the mere power and the scent of blood on his hands. He grinned dangerously and glanced momentarily at his second-in-command, knowing the very same thoughts were occurring in Squalo's head. Tsuna was in good hands. Years of constantly fighting had given him a trained sense of mind when it came to these sorts of things.

"And what makes you think that, Giotto?" Iemitsu challenged, not liking the back talked.

"I've seen them fight before. They're good enough to protect Tsuna within the confinement of the school. A mere company such as Interigens won't be good enough to stop them. What we should be focusing on is preventing them from getting to our information, that's more important." Giotto kept himself calm before his father, not showing any amount of emotion. G glanced towards his Capturer but he didn't say anything, keeping silent as he allowed his boss to take over. "Compared to protecting Tsuna, we should be looking through all of our men to make sure that no spies have come in. Any sort of leak could easily push us back, if not ruin us."

The father of the family hummed to himself, finding only logic in those words. He smirked and nodded his head, agreeing. "Alright, we'll have it your way." He turned towards Timoteo for a moment, whispering something into the man's ear while using Nana as the in-between. As that occurred, Giotto's bright blue eyes snapped towards Reborn with an unspoken message: 'I'm keeping up my part of the deal, are you?' which didn't please the raven so much. The hitman sneered silently at the other, but didn't say a single word. Of course, it didn't go unnoticed by the rest of the family that weren't doing anything, Xanxus raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

Still, the conversations went off without a second thought, no one really questioning anything that had occurred between Reborn and Giotto. Tsuna mentally shrugged his shoulders, not really bothered by anything. He was confident that Reborn only had the best for him in mind. A few moments later, the waiters were slowly bringing the food out, settling the plates before each respective person, and went about refilling the drinks. Everything looked delicious, all five-star quality and there was no doubt that it would taste just the same. Tsuna, however, hesitated in digging in like the rest of his family, staring down at his order with a sigh.

"What's wrong?" Reborn questioned, drinking only his coffee with his food barely touched. He had tasted only a little, but found it not really appealing to his palate. It was bland and emotionless in taste. All in all, he didn't like it. It no doubt tasted good, but not as good as Tsuna's, which was made with love and kindness. The difference was too obvious. Fong and Colonello were finding themselves in the same situation as they tasted the plates carefully and cringed slightly.

"Nothing really. I just…" Tsuna trailed off, not sure on how to say what his mind was currently thinking. It was a sensation that had suddenly caught up to him, something he didn't really recognize all that well. He bit down on his bottom lip as he stared down at his food, his fork playing with a string of pasta. He spun it around in a circle, watching it twirl around the center. "I just have a… bad feeling. That's all."

"Bad feeling?" Reborn hummed underneath his breath, unsure what the other had meant, but listened regardless. "How so?"

"I… I don't know," Tsuna didn't move, staring at the same thing for the past five minutes. "I just do. It just feels c-"

 _Bang_!

"H-Huh?" Tsuna squeaked out in surprise, not expecting such a sound to resonate within the building. He blinked rapidly, trying to find where the sound had come from just like he had done with Squalo's yell. He wasn't the only one. Everyone at the table had reacted similarly, trying to locate the source suspiciously.

"What just happened?" Dino spoke first, breaking the silence that was trapped between the group. His brown eyes peered over everyone curiously, trying to understand what was going on. "Are we… being attacked? Or was that just a sound from a TV?"

"Trash, that's definitely a gunshot," Xanxus retorted, kicking away from the table as he stood up and grabbed his twin guns from underneath his jacket. Squalo followed the same movement, but instead held a sword that was strangely attached to his wooden hand. Tsuna couldn't help but stare for a moment at the peculiarity, but considering how his life was at times it wasn't the strangest thing he'd ever seen. "We're probably under attack."

"Now, of all times?!" Iemitsu sneered angrily, slamming his hands down against the table. It rattled at the force and he stood up, pulling Nana behind him to protect her. "It must be the Interigens. It's too perfect for them to not attack. They must have followed one of us since it's an opportune moment with the entire family here in one spot."

"Doesn't matter," Giotto spoke next, looking quite calm despite the occurrence that was happening around him. A few more gunshots went off and there were now screams echoing through the hallway. It was obvious that it was getting closer to their location and in those few seconds, everyone pulled away from the table to get ready.

The Assurers that belonged to Tsuna stepped back towards the brunet cautiously while Reborn remained in front just in case. If Tsuna had thought that he would get caught up in such madness as this, he should have made some sort of excuse to not head in today. He 'eep'ed when he heard another sound go off, much closer, and reached over to grasp onto Fong's robe. At that one noise, people began to run off, his brothers included, and opened the door to run out into the hallway. To them, they knew that being contained in one single room would get them trapped and in order to escape, they had no choice but to clear a pathway.

"Wasn't expecting a fight like this, kora." Colonello commented as he watched the backs of the family members disappear down the hallway. Gunshots were beginning to get more frequent and he heard Squalo's 'voi' ring out.

"Neither was I," Tsuna muttered under his breath. "What a nightmare."


	34. Chapter 34

To say that everything was occurring in a neat and orderly fashion would be a lie. There was nothing orderly about the situation, nothing logical. It was just complete and total chaos. And to those who dwelled in this type of world, it was _beautiful_.

Tsuna was nudged slightly to the side by Reborn to avoid a piece of falling debris and then again to hide from a spray of bullets. He felt like some sort of ragdoll being shoved around, not that he minded. It was better this way. He knew he couldn't fight, much less be able to contribute something useful to the situation, so he would leave it to his Assurers and his family. They'd take care of everything. By less than thirty minutes in, most of his family had scattered, each moving to an area they deemed advantageous against the gunmen. Dino and his men had taken the stairs in an effort to prevent any of their enemies from getting to the rest of the group, Xanxus had vanished after some time into the fight, no doubt enjoying himself, and Giotto and G had remained in the hallways, keeping the area clear for either advancement or escape. It was through them that an identity for the men sprung up: the Interigens.

Meanwhile, Iemitsu was fighting elsewhere with Nana and Timoteo beside him, trying to get them out of the fighting area. Neither of the two could fight well, Timoteo mainly because of his age and Nana because she was a regular human. This left Tsuna's Assurers with no risk of getting caught by the blond man, they were trying to resist getting Tsuna into further trouble with the family.

It was quite simple when it came to comparing the Assurers' powerful abilities to regular humans with guns. The difference was far too obvious and within moments, they were already pushing the gunmen back. Still, the only thing the Interigens had on their side was their number. Where one fell, another took their place and they fought back viciously in every attempt to win.

"They're persistent bastards, kora." Colonello fired off a few rounds as he stepped to one side to dodge a bullet that could have struck his left lung. Though the bullet wouldn't kill him, that didn't mean it wouldn't sting like hell. He turned to another side to grab one of the men by the face, slamming the human against the wall like he was lifting up a stuffed toy and shoved him straight through completely. As he did that, Fong came up from behind and took care of the soldier who would have followed up on Colonello.

"You shouldn't let your guard down like that. Though they are simply humans, they can get tricky if you let them," Fong spun around, his robe twirling at his movements almost like it was caught in a dance. Tsuna watched from behind as the Chinese-like male dodged under a bullet by bending to the side and brought up his right foot to give a roundabout kick. The human flew from the force, slamming into two others that had been advancing just a few feet away. Fong blinked at the force he had used, but continued his twirl as he used the back of his left foot to hit a shoulder, slamming the gunman down into the ground. The floor cracked at his strength and the enemy crumbled like a heap of potatoes, the shoulders broken. "Hmm, I keep forgetting that human bodies are much more fragile. I'm more used to our kind."

The blonde chuckled and took aim from Fong's shoulder, blasting three men back. "Oh shut up, you know I knew that you had my back. And can't agree with you anymore on that fragile part. Human bodies _are_ quite frail compared to ours. We can take massive amount of hits and damage, but humans collapse under mere pressure, kora."

"Well I'm afraid that we can't all be blessed with bodies like yours." A flash of flames flew from the side, creating a massive force as it forced the Interigens to retreat just slightly to dodge the fire. Giotto stood from the side, his hands ablaze in an orange flame, and peered over the scene in cautious curiosity. He stepped closer towards the group, giving a nod towards Tsuna's Assurers. G was beside him like always, carrying a gun. "It appears the Interigens have done their research on us. They've somehow managed to erect a barrier that prevents me from calling out to my Assurers. It's working the same against my grandfather."

"Seriously? That's _way_ too convenient, kora!"

"My thoughts exactly." Reborn fired a few rounds towards the vast crowd of men, his sharp onyx eyes gazing over the entire field. His attention was focused on the blond through the corner of his eyes and momentarily turned towards him. "They probably believed that you would be defenseless without your Assurers and wanted to take advantage of that except… they didn't expect your right-hand man to be already here or be an Assurer himself. There's also us to take into consideration."

Giotto smirked. "Obviously." He turned towards the men who were trying to form a line to prevent them from leaving, clearly waiting for the reinforcements to help out. "Still, we should leave this area soon. I wouldn't put it past them to try and blow the building up in hopes of taking us down."

It was at his words that things began to settle in everyone's minds. Though it was just hinted, the dangers of this group and how far they were willing to go made everyone suddenly move. Reborn slipped around and grasped Tsuna's arm, pulling him out of hiding and dragged him closer towards the group. "If that's true, then we should escape now instead of talking. What are our current routes?"

"The stairs, obviously. There are four of them at each corner of the building and one extra on the side at the back. Taking the elevator is suicide unless you want to get trapped," Giotto huffed, folding his arms against his chest, and glanced towards G, the redhead's cigarette was still between his lips despite the chaos. "I know the front two staircases have been overrun by the Interigens and Dino has secured the one at the back left."

"Then lead the way, Giotto. You obviously know this building better than I do." Reborn shuffled closer and Tsuna just sighed at the force, but looked optimistic about the situation. He knew that despite everything that was occurring with this family, Giotto would at least help them get out alive. He was confident in that.

The blonde peered at the group before pointing towards a direction, making sure to keep out of the firing range. Soon, they were moving with escape in mind and the two brothers allowed their Assurers to step ahead of them, taking care of the dangers instead. It was safer to do so, not wanting to get struck by a stray bullet. No one spoke and as they reached their destination the numbers began to thin out. It wasn't enough to cause any suspicion, everyone believing that they were finally reaching their target.

However, as they reached the hallway that would lead to the staircase, a loud explosion rang through the hotel. Fong jumped at the sound. "W-What-?" His voice was cut off when the building rumbled at the powerful force that echoed through the entire building in waves. He wasn't the only freaking out as the enemy men had followed the same movements, shouting at each other in panic. From the flow of the frantic conversations from the gunmen, it was obvious that a bomb had been set off, destroying some floors below. That didn't stop the rumbling and the rapid cracks that began to appear like snakes in the walls and ground. No one moved, trying to keep their stable footing on the floor, but within seconds, parts of that began to crumble downward. The explosion had clearly knocked down some of the middle supports that were holding the floor around the group and the weight was starting to settle inward.

Tsuna bit down on his bottom lip, fear creeping through his entire body, and knew that everyone else was feeling exactly like him. Everyone was afraid, afraid of falling, afraid of… He looked up, watching as everyone began to focus on their own safety, and flinched when some bullets rang out, one of them just missing the tip of his nose. A few members cursed, the Interigens were still firing despite the situation, and the Meraviglians attempted to block the shots before they went any further, trying to keep things as organized as possible. Tsuna blinked when he noticed some of the pillars crumbling down, his breath caught up in his throat, and could only stare as the beams crashed into the floor with enough force to break through. The force only furthered the shaking, everything was unstable, and he gulped, watching in horror as some flattened their enemies. Screams rang out, but the bullets didn't stop.

"Giotto, watch out!" Tsuna cried out, rushing towards his older brother as he saw a particular pillar making its way down. The blonde flinched at the sudden yell, not expecting it to be directed at him, and glanced up in time only to see the pillar already coming towards him. He didn't move, not expecting the sudden fall. G was too far ahead to do anything, already occupied with the various men who were trying to spill into the hallway. The redhead glanced back momentarily with wide eyes as shock spread about his face, horror clearly apparent. The Arcobaleno followed the same reaction, only for them, they watched as their Capturer rushed forward towards the elder sibling.

"Tsuna!"

"Giotto!"

They could only watch as the brunet crash into Giotto, sending both bodies across the hallway, past the falling architecture. Giotto landed on his back with Tsuna on top, the cape used as a barrier as they slide across the floor to gain some distance. A small amount of relief entered them at the sight of the pillar missing the both of them just barely. However, that was short lived. The pillar that had fallen managed to smash into the next floor, making the ground they were stepping on rumble at the force. Everyone, including their enemies, froze as they tried to regain their footing. The floor cracked and parts of it began to crumble more rapidly than before, spreading uncontrollably. On the other side of where the pillar had fallen, everything was falling apart completely and the entire group simply watched as the two brothers fell through the floor, disappearing into the darkness beyond. The cracks continued to grow and took some of the men as walls came caving in, the bodies vanishing completely from sight. Sounds of the crash continued to echo through various floors, everything collapsing afterwards, with sparks of electricity flickering around and the pipelines broken. The Assurers could only watch as their beloved Capturers disappeared behind the rubble.

"Tsuna!"

However, their attention wasn't kept on the fallen Capturers for long as the gunmen behind took advantage of their shock. It was the perfect moment for them, but they didn't take into consideration the resulting rage that would flood the entire floor. The Assurers turned towards the men that had no doubt caused this mess and sneered hatefully. They would make sure these men would regret their actions. For now, they could only hope that their Capturers were okay.

* * *

Drip.

Drip.

Giotto winced as he suddenly felt a droplet of water hit his forehead, forcing him back to the land of the living, and snapped open his eyes. He blinked and then blinked again. Confusion ran rapidly within his eyes as he tried to situate himself and his present circumstances. The first thing he noticed was that there was no ceiling above him, only a crammed mess of building materials layered on top of one another just a few feet above their heads. By chance, the construction lining the building was holding the mass from falling exactly on him and he had no doubt he wouldn't survive the crash. Giotto could see various metal rods poking through everything, even the walls, like they were thorns. His ears could hear the rushing sounds of water, knowing the pipes must have burst from the fall and nothing was left to hold the fluids back. It would explain why he had felt that water droplet. The lights were flickering, one still working and was enough to give him a full visual of his field. Slowly raising himself up, he took in his surroundings until he found a heavy weight on his abdomen.

Giotto stared. "Tsuna?" The brunet was currently sprawled on top of him, unconscious, with his head resting against his abdomen. The Vongola boss examined him closer, keeping still, and nodded to himself when he noticed that Tsuna appeared unharmed. Still, that left questions. 'How are we still alive anyway?' He peered over the area. There's no way they could have easily survived that fall without breaking something or being impaled by one of the rods.

The blonde peered down to what they had landed on and raised an eyebrow at the sight. Oddly, they had landed amazingly on a hotel bed in one of the various rooms, using it as a cushion for their fall. As for the rest of the room… it was completely totaled from the crash with half of it caved in from the force, a large support beam lying in the center to keep the rest from tumbling down. There was luckily enough room to make it to the doorway, but Giotto could hear footsteps and gunshots occurring on the other side, forcing himself to remain silent. They were still under attack. And getting attacked when cornered with his unconscious brother wouldn't look good in terms of odds of survival. He wanted to call G to his side, but with that cursed barrier up, it was impossible.

"Brother?" A small voice came from the brunet on his lap and Giotto glanced down as Tsuna slowly pulled away. The younger Capturer took in the sight of his awake brother and smiled happily. "You're awake!"

"Of course," Giotto spoke as if stating the obvious and surveyed around the room once more. "How long have we been unconscious? Do you know?"

"About thirty minutes," Tsuna answered right off the bat, looking down at his watch. "I was still awake after the fall but I suddenly fell asleep afterwards." He sat up, settled onto the edge of the bed as he took in the damage around him.

Giotto huffed to himself, remembering that he had been pushed back by that fall in order to save his life. He glanced towards his brother once more and shook his head, shuffling off the bed. It was only then that he noticed a large stain on the bed at his side. "Shit!" He hadn't felt anything, no pain or aches, and immediately yanked up his shirt to see the damage. He knew they had to be _too_ lucky to be left undamaged from that fall. The red splotch was large, enough to cover half his side. 'This is bad…' As he took in the redness of his skin, he blinked. There was nothing there.

"Huh?" He could see his blood all over him, some just starting to dry, but there wasn't any tear. There was no break in his body. Giotto blinked and peered up towards the ceiling where they had fallen. He saw it, a particular line of metal rod that was poking through the edge and a blotch of red dripping from tips. 'I know I must have hit that when I fell. I know I did.'

"Giotto? Are you okay?" Tsuna took noticed of the confusion on his brother's face, looking over the blonde carefully as well. He noticed the bloody spot and touched it gently, his fingers cold. "You seem okay at the very least."

The blonde raised an eyebrow at the carefulness the other showed, but shook his head at it. He had more concerning matters to deal with. "I must have scratched myself as we fell."

"Oh, but I don't… see anything."

"I know, neither do I." Giotto didn't want to mention that the amount of blood he must have lost from the fall. The so-called scratch was more of a tear into his body since the depth the rod must have struck his body too deep to just have nothing on him. He should have died, especially if it's been thirty minutes. "Regardless, I'm alive and able to move. We should get out of here before the rest of the place collapses. There's no telling how much longer this will hold. It's a miracle it did in the first place."

"That's true…" Tsuna nodded at that logic as he ran a hand through his hair and carefully stood up from the bed, walking around the enclosed room before carefully making his way to the door. His hands were shaking gently and reached over to grasp the wall, going still. "I guess we only have one way out." He peeked at the area beyond through the peeping hole to see if it was safe before heading back to his brother, who was still settled quite comfortably on the bed. He outstretched his hand, wanting the other to take it.

For a moment, Giotto stared at the hand with an eyebrow raised up to his hairline, unsure what it truly meant before looking into his brother's honey-colored eyes. His brother was just too good to do anything harmful towards him. With a sigh, he grasped the hand gently and felt himself getting yanked forward off the bed. About halfway, due to Tsuna's lack of upper strength, Giotto used the back of his foot to kick him off the rest of the way and stumbled gently. His feet shuffled uneasily underneath him and he felt wobbly, lightheaded like the world was spinning viciously, before catching himself against his younger sibling. He could tell the other was gazing at him in concern; his brother's arms wrapped gently around his form, but he ignored it. Raising a hand against his head, he ran it through his hair, pushing the blond bangs towards the side. Blood loss – the coloring on his clothing was the perfect indicator.

"I'm fine, Tsuna. Just a little lightheaded, that's all," Giotto huffed, ignoring the distress the other was throwing at him. He watched as his brother smiled and tried to lead the way towards the front door, feeling a little small compared to his brother. It was unusual after all to have Tsuna do anything other than cower behind something. Looks like being around the Arcobaleno was doing wonders to the brunet's personality, something he was certain Dino would be proud of. And there was one thing he had to do before he forgets. "Hey, Tsuna." The brunet paused and spun around, looking at his older brother curiously. "Thanks for saving me."

Tsuna blinked and chuckled. "You're my brother. Of course I'll save you." Giotto remained quiet at that, not wanting to respond since he was so unsure how to. "Now come on, let's get out of here. I know we both want to be with our Assurers, our friends."

The blonde stared for a few moments longer before shaking his head as he sighed. Tsuna had really grown over time. Nodding his head, he allowed himself to be pulled around the debris and slipped towards the door. He leaned against it as he tried to listen to the other side, trying to get a notion of the situation. Tsuna followed his movements, but eventually bit down on his bottom lip in confusion, not entirely sure what exactly his brother was doing. Giotto was almost tempted to roll his eyes at the sight, but ignored it in favor of checking out the hallway. It was quiet, no sounds of footsteps or guns. It was nowhere close to how it had been before.

"I'm going to open the door, Tsuna. Stand back," Giotto raised one of his hands defensively against his chest as his other carefully jiggled the door open. The light outside reached his eyes and he blinked momentarily as he allowed himself to adjust before taking a better look at his surroundings. The hallway was empty, but the destruction that had occurred was far too obvious from the various bullet holes in the walls, along with a couple of corpses lying around the floor. Giotto held back a grimace, keeping his face as straight as possible despite the blood that covered the area. Tsuna didn't and raised a hand up against his lips in surprise, appearing like he was going to vomit at the horror. "Tsuna, keep yourself together. The Interigens are still around."

It was at his words that the brunet snapped himself together, shaking his head slowly as he closed his eyes at the vision. Tsuna didn't say anything; he didn't need to in order to let Giotto know how uncomfortable he was.

The blonde stepped further out into the hallway, still finding it clear. "I know where we are." He looked at the room numbers and shook his head. "We fell quite a distance from the floor we were on earlier. About six of them. We're very lucky to have survived the fall. Still, we should start heading down towards the first floor. I doubt our companions would remain there after seeing what happened and I know G would at least know where to go."

Tsuna didn't reply at first, merely nodding at the suggestion. He followed along as Giotto went towards the stairs at one of the corners of the building, considering that the elevator was out of the question. The blonde could only hope that it hadn't been overrun by the gunmen. "Do you think we might get attacked along the way?"

"Wouldn't be surprising considering the situation, but I'd rather not get into a fight. Even with my abilities, I'm still quite open to bullets and I'm not like a Meraviglian that have a tendency to not die." Giotto wandered down the hallway, keeping a sharp eye out for any men and an ear for any sort of sounds. He looked at some of the opened doors, seeing nothing but corpses of what appeared to be families. This was a hotel after all. Tsuna remained beside him, stepping closer to his brother for protection, and perhaps confidence to keep going. "We'll need to be careful. Listen to me and we'll be fine."

"Okay…" The brunet retained some hesitation, but continued on regardless. Their voices were mere whispers not wanting to give away their location. "You seem quite… used to these situations. I'm kinda glad but worried at the same time."

Giotto paused for a moment and peered towards his companion before shrugging his shoulders, continuing down the pathway. "You can't be a CEO of a company without making a few enemies… Or have a few attempts on your life," he watched the momentary fear that flashed through Tsuna's honey-colored eyes. "Oh stop, there is no need to be concerned about me. I have G to do that for me. He mothers me enough as it is."

Tsuna couldn't help but smile at that, almost breaking out into laughter. It was funny how they could settle into such a conversation as if it was the most normal thing in the world. It was like they were truly brothers before the whole incident.

The older brother paused for a moment in his steps, turning to face the other. "You've changed greatly after your time with the Arcobaleno," at the widening of those honey-colored eyes, he snorted. "What? You thought you could hide it from me? I'm not stupid or going senile like our father." Giotto paused for a moment and pursed his lips together. "Or our grandfather, who at least has a brain. Our father is an idiot. He may have his moments of… brilliance, but he is still an idiot, and a foolish one too."

"Brother…"

Giotto glanced back through the corner of his eyes, dragging his younger sibling along. "Regardless, the change is a good thing. Keep your Assurers close to you and perhaps you'll be able to follow Dino's little plan of escaping," Tsuna could only stare in wonder, surprised that his brother would say such a thing. He expected Dino, but Giotto? The blonde snorted. "I'm not like Dino who is so emotionally attached to family, I lack empathy. But between keeping Dino or Father happy, I know who to choose."

Tsuna could only stare, a small fleeting smile making its way onto his lips. "Thanks."

The blonde just sighed, running a hand through his hair. "We've dallied enough, let's go."

"Alright."


	35. Chapter 35

Tsuna glanced around the long hallways, finding everything to be completely silent; a vast difference to the initial madness that had first broken out. The gunfire was gone, only the remnants remained, and at their position, they couldn't hear any footsteps in the hallways or the stairwell. The brunet didn't know exactly what he was supposed to do considering he had never been in a situation like this, so whatever Giotto said he followed without a second thought. He didn't want to act like some mindless puppet, but in this situation he would act as instructed. Tsuna knew his brother would keep him safe from their enemies and so he remained close by, never leaving his spot at Giotto's side.

The older sibling carefully opened the doors in their pathway, pressing his ears against the frames in hopes of hearing nothing on the other side. He took great care watching where he went and as they made their way to the stairs, they were gratefully met with no resistance. Meanwhile, the silence was engulfing, like it was taunting them with its constant state. Tsuna continued to find it odd that it was so quiet, but he never brought it up, not wanting to jinx themselves when everything was currently alright. Despite everything that was happening; the attack, the separation from his Assurers, he was actually getting some quality time with his older brother, even though it wasn't under the best of conditions. Regardless, it was time he rarely got (if ever) and he was seeing a side to Giotto that he hadn't witnessed in a long time, mostly due to their distance from each other. It was like they were kids again. Well, kinda. They weren't talking because of the area they were in and Tsuna didn't even know what they should talk about after all these years. In the end, the two siblings were awkward with each other, not even bothering to acknowledge each other's presence.

Every now and then while they were heading down the large magnitude of stairs towards the first floor, they could hear the echo of gunshots and yelling in the distance. Lucky for them, the closer they got to the bottom floor, the weaker it got. Giotto could already tell that the fight was just beginning to finish up, either the men were being taken care of or they themselves had won the fight. Either way, the brothers continued to remain quiet as they made their escape just in case, not wanting to draw attention. As they continued to descend, Tsuna would glance outside the windows at one side of the stairway momentarily, peering into the distance to see how the outside was reacting to the situation. However, much to his annoyance and confusion, there was nothing. He couldn't see the familiar sightings of red and blue sirens of the police cars flashing and knew instantly that they were all on their own.

As they reached the first floor, Giotto immediately went straight to the closed door and leaned against the side as he listened cautiously to the other side. Tsuna followed behind, keeping some distance just in case while watching where he stepped. The blonde closed his blue eyes, concentrating, before finally opening them to nod at the brunet. "It's clear." He stepped away from the wall, reaching out towards the handle to give it a sharp twist. "I don't hear or sense anyone on the other side, but be careful regardless. There's no telling what could happen. We may very well be walking into a trap."

"Right," Tsuna nodded his head, keeping close. He bit down on his bottom lip as he observed his brother closely. "Do you… think we'll come out alright?"

Giotto snorted as if it was the most foolish thing to ask. "Of course. We're the Sawadas, we always come out victorious." His tone of voice was slightly on the dull side, but it did its job of improving Tsuna's outlook. The blonde stretched his arm upwards, combing his fingers through his spiky hair. It shook out some of the dust and dirt that had collected within the locks, scattering it around him. "Now, come on. Let's go."

"Right."

The blonde twisted the knob and pushed it open, his sharp blue eyes peering over every object carefully. He looked towards the shadows and the light, watching for any movements that stood out immediately. Nothing, it was completely empty. Holding his breath, he carefully stood out into the open, his ears listening for any sound, for any indication that there was life on this floor besides them. However, all he saw was death.

In all essence, the first floor was completely totaled and that was still an underestimate of all the damage that had been done. The pillars in the middle of the room were either broken or bullet-filled, the expensive rugs on the floor were covered in massive splatters of blood, and the furniture was torn apart. Nothing had survived the attack and the bodies that littered the ground made Tsuna almost want to gag by the way they were laid out. It was clear they had been trying to escape the chaos, only to be shot from behind. The scent of blood, gunpowder, and smoke was suffocating and it only made Tsuna nauseated, his vision spinning for a moment before clearing up. Giotto huffed at the sight before him, not really affected by the battlefield, and merely shrugged it off. This was something he was used to. As he glanced towards his sibling, he took notice of the paling features and sighed. Making sure to secure his brother, he kept a firm arm around Tsuna, not wanting the brunet to wander off on his own and get into some sort of trouble.

Despite the mess, the blonde didn't hear anything, the entrance area completely silent. He couldn't pick up the sounds of footsteps, breathing, or movement. He could see various forms of their enemies splattered on the ground, dead by the lack of movement on the chest or the amount of blood that was pooling around their corpses. It obviously couldn't have been the police. He doubted the organization would allow outsiders to get close; they'd either block off roads or create distractions in order to keep the attack isolated. Giotto knew people like them far too well, having dealt with it for years.

"Stay here and hide." The blonde glanced back towards his younger brother, nudging him to lean against the fallen furniture for cover. Tsuna complied with the order and ducked behind a tilted table. A couch was on his other side, keeping him blocked from view while still allowing him to watch Giotto carefully as his older brother shuffled out into a more open area.

Tsuna didn't like seeing such a battlefield and neither did he like seeing it so close. He had only seen them through movies or heard about them by the word of mouth, but in person? Rarely. The most he had seen was those between Assurers, but it was never this bloody except when such carnage was aimed towards him. Tsuna shuddered at the thought. He always avoided such things, knowing that he wasn't exactly handy on the field. It was true after all. He left the fighting to everyone else and for obvious reasons. His honey-colored eyes watched as Giotto made his way around the first floor, keeping a watch for him (though he only did it to make himself feel a little better). His brother was only one person and was out of his element considering G or his other Assurers were always with him as backup. He trusted his brother to be able to handle himself in any situation, but Tsuna just couldn't help but worry.

"It appears to be clear." Giotto stepped back towards his brother. He didn't relax though, keeping an eye on the area just in case. The glass doors were broken and he could see a crowd already gathering outside, but they refused to step in. He couldn't blame them. From their position, the two brothers were hidden from sight behind the large table, and the darkness certainly wasn't helping with their visibility. They could easily leave, but Giotto refused to take that chance. There could always be enemies in the crowd, blending in and waiting for any stragglers who came out to be taken care of when they had just began to relax.

"What now, Giotto?" Tsuna kept himself ducked behind the furniture, hiding from everything.

"We wait," the blonde slipped around the table and settled beside him. "The enemy must be trying to escape before they get caught by the authorities. Once the police arrive, it'll be safer to head out into the public."

"Ah… I see."

"And we need to meet up with our Assurers, too. They're somewhere in the building and should have already been here due to the time difference while we were unconscious. Most likely, they met up with some trouble along the way and got held up." Giotto leaned back against the broken table, running a hand through his hair. "But it shouldn't matter much. They have the ability to take care of themselves. Of course, compared to them, we're more vulnerable."

"That's true…" Tsuna agreed, trusting in his Assurers' abilities to allow them to come out alright. "They are all pretty powerful."

"Well, considering yours are the Arcobaleno, they can definitely handle themselves just fine," Giotto commented, ignoring the surprised look from the brunet. "Don't think I wouldn't find out. It wasn't hard." He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he willed the stress to leave his body from the constant mess they were in. "You picked some companions who are truly loyal to you."

"They're my friends."

"I know," the Vongola boss sighed, running a hand though his hair once more, almost like it was out of habit or nervousness. He leaned his head back against the furniture behind. "So are mine."

Tsuna snapped his head up, peering straight at his older brother. He blinked, completely surprised. He remembered Giotto saying a time before that they were tools, nothing more than that, and were meant to be used. The brunet hadn't expected such a difference in words and shuffled closer out of curiosity.

Giotto snorted, showing a small side of him he had never truly revealed to his brother or, at least, not since they were young. "What?" The brother smirked. "Can't really run a company if I don't trust my Assurers. Tools can betray you, friends don't. Well, not normally at the very least," He shuffled in his awkward seat, leaning his head back to peer up at the hanging chandeliers. The crystal-made lights were swinging side to side, still holding up even after all that had happened in the room. "Even with all of their quirky personalities, they've always been there for me in the end."

"That's good to hear. I'm glad that you at least have someone to trust."

A small silence settled between the two brothers, neither knowing what to speak about next. Giotto glanced towards his younger sibling and sighed once more. "Hey, look, I need to admit something." He paused for a moment to let his words settle, knowing he had the full attention of Tsuna. "I actually did something for you not too long ago."

Tsuna perked up. "Hm? What do you mean?"

"You've been in that school, unable to succeed in getting a single contract, for so long that I _had_ to take action. Dino keeps worrying about you, he can't help it. It's somewhat in his personality to do so." Giotto rubbed in between his nose, remembering the multiple conversations with the eldest. "So with him, I devised a plan to give you Assurers. I picked out a couple of them that hadn't gotten a contract yet to join you and I left it up to them whether or not to do so. Most said no immediately upon seeing you. They viewed you as too weak to be bothered with even though you're considered a Vongola by blood."

Tsuna blinked, immediately looking back into his memories to see if anyone stood out. He could already pinpoint a couple that appeared to most likely be those people Giotto was taking about and then there was the incident with the new students where they had mentioned his brother. Things were piercing together quickly. "By any chance, would it be Gokudera, Yamamoto, and Hibari?"

"Too easy, huh?" Giotto chuckled in amusement, shaking his head at the mention of the trio. "Those three really lack in the subtle department and their personalities contradict each other. I'm a little amazed that it wasn't Mukuro and Hibari who got into a fight and create a huge incident at the school," the older brother raised a hand up to squeezed in-between his eyes once more, almost like he had a headache coming on. "Still, I heard that Hibari's uncle, Fong, beat him back when Hibari tried to attack you."

"Y-Yeah…"

"Well, you've chosen the right group that will wholeheartedly protect you," Giotto muttered, his eyes glancing around the area and peered over the table again to look at the other side. Still nothing. At least it was quiet regardless of the echoing of voices on the outside. "You should go live with them."

Tsuna paused. "What? How…"

Giotto shrugged his shoulders. "It's uncommon, but possible. You'll be safer there than in this world. And don't think I don't see or hear it happening. I know how attached you are to them, and specifically to Reborn."

"He'd saved me, and helped me," the brunet bundled his hands together in his lap, curling his body up into a ball. "I-I owe him a lot."

"Yes," Giotto agreed to the statement, seeing the changes on the online profile and grades from the beginning of their contract. "He has my blessing."

"Huh?" Tsuna blinked questionably.

"Nothing," he peered up again and this time huffed in amusement, rising up from behind the table with a shake of his head. Folding his arms across his chest, he continued to stare before him into the distance until Tsuna began to grow curious and looked up as well. Giotto continued to remain still and closed his eyes for a moment, finally beginning to relax, but not all the way. "Finally they arrive." On the opposite side of the first floor were a group of individuals, ones that the two brothers knew all too well. Tsuna broke out into a wide grin, happiness spreading across his entire expression, and jumped up to get a better look. It was impossible to _not_ identify who they are, their clothing and aura giving them away immediately among the destruction.

The brunet was the first one to move, walking from around the table so that he was more out into the open and began to jog forward towards the group. The noise he made drew the attention of the group, watching as they froze in suspicion, believing it to be another enemy before finally focusing on Tsuna to sigh in relief. Giotto followed behind, keeping himself at a slower pace, with his eyes drawn to his right-hand man.

"Everyone, you're okay!" Tsuna called out happily, rushing forward to meet his friends. He watched as their expressions moved from shock to surprise and happiness, a few breaking out into a smile. Reborn simply tilted his fedora downward to cover his eyes and gave the other a smirk, staring at his companion from underneath it. Colonello and Fong walked a little faster, wanting to meet up with their Capturer halfway. G, on the other hand, shrugged his shoulders towards his own boss, sending a silent message towards Giotto that couldn't be understood by anyone else. Tsuna smiled, "I'm so glad!"

"Shouldn't we be saying that?" Colonello grinned, patting Tsuna on the back gently. His bright blue eyes were looking over the brunet's form carefully, eyeing the tears in the clothes, but couldn't identify any cuts on the skin. He sighed in relief. "Looks like everything went alright after you fell, kora."

"Yes, I'm glad to see that you're alright," Fong was next, circling around the brunet suspiciously to see if there were any injuries the other Arcobaleno couldn't identify. There were none. "However, next time, please don't do something like that. You gave us quite the start."

"Sorry, didn't mean to and I have no plans on having something like that happen again." Grinning, Tsuna glanced at each of his Capturers before turning his attention towards the last one, Reborn. "You alright, Reborn? You're a little quiet."

The raven huffed, placing both hands into his pockets, and took a few steps forward. "Yeah, no more stunts. Apparently, getting involved with your family has been causing nothing more than trouble for us."

Giotto and G on the side snorted at the comment, knowing there was some truth in those words. Their family did have the tendency to get into trouble due to their relationships with other companies as well as their high standing in the world. The two spoke to each other softly, keeping their voices and conversation a secret, while the larger group continued to chatter happily, retelling their separate adventures. Apparently, the Assurers had met up with some resistance from the enemy, getting squared in on all four corners. The enemy had been hoping that they could cut them off, trap them, and finish them off before they got the chance to escape. Of course, that had been completely pointless considering who they were facing. Luckily, they were able to find the device that was preventing Capturers from summoning their Assurers along the way and had destroyed it immediately.

"Alright, everyone," G called out, getting everyone's attention to snap towards him. "Let's get out of here. I don't want to stay here any longer than I have to." The redhead smirked, waving a hand upward with the other in his pocket. "Not only that, the police are almost here so we should be safe now. I don't know about you, but I don't like getting questioned by the authorities after something like this has happened." The sirens in the distance were beginning to get louder, complementing G's statement.

"Agreed," Giotto tilted his head, his arms still folded across his chest. His bright blue eyes peered at Tsuna and then at the Arcobaleno. "Come, we'll head out together and afterwards, I'll call a car to pick you up to send you straight back to the school grounds. The further you are from here, the less suspicion there will be about your involvement."

The Arcobaleno and Tsuna nodded at that, agreeing with the logic. At least for now, they could finally begin to relax from this battlefield.

* * *

"Giotto," G called out with a concerned look, the two already in a limo to head back to the company. They needed to report the situation as well as get checked out by the medical team that was located there. Tsuna and his group had left an hour earlier. "I saw the blood and the tears in your clothing."

"Ah…" Giotto didn't know how to respond to that, he too didn't have a clue on what to say about the situation. He went with honesty, knowing that he trusted G deeply. "I don't know what happened… but I'm certain with a wound like that, I should have died."

The red head closed his eyes, taking in the words and then nodded. "Definitely. So then, why are you still alive? And how?"

"Don't know but," Giotto huffed, folding his arms across his chest. "I have a _strong_ feeling that Tsuna is involved."

* * *

"Sir!"

Iemitsu peered up at the male guard before him, raising a hand up to alert the other that he had heard his call. He was in his office, settled at his desk as he was looking over some documents from the incident that had occurred one week ago. There were some questions still left in his memories about the attack and he wouldn't rest until it was all complete, that every little bit had been found to settle his mind. He knew that part of his family was keeping something from him and then there was his adopted brother, Xanxus… The Varia had been going against his orders recently and only truly followed Giotto's, which only annoyed him further. He didn't like being disobeyed, and he didn't like being ignored. He had brought the company further up to new heights, starting it on a path that would bring it to number one before Giotto took over, who raised it even further than his expectations. No one was allowed to disobey him without there being some sort of punishment for the crime. So far, Varia had avoided it due to their power and differences.

Iemitsu tossed a few documents aside and waved the guard to continue. "Did you find something?"

"Yes, sir," The guard nodded his head, keeping carefully still. "The investigators have confirmed that some of the attacks on the enemy guards were not done by firearms or any of Sawada Giotto's Assurers. They have confirmed that they were by another group of Assurers, ones that are in the command of your youngest son, Sawada Tsunayoshi. This was proven by the tattered recordings as these two groups interacted with each other and then followed Sawada Tsunayoshi home. They are the same men who have stated being Tsunayoshi's friends."

Iemitsu paused, his hands resting over the desk with his expression blank. He stared at it vacantly before peering up at the guard, his eyes dark as he tried to filter through the information that had been given to him. No emotion drifted through his face, he kept up the gaze before finally waving the guard away. The man left immediately with a short, respectful bow, leaving the room in silence, and Iemitsu rotated his chair towards a picture on his desk. It held the entire family… except for Tsuna. The family was laughing and smiling happily, like there was nothing wrong about the world. It was _perfect_ since it was missing the black sheep of the group, the one that had caused all the trouble since his very birth. Reaching down towards his drawer, he pulled out another photo, this one torn. It held everyone, even Tsuna, but there weren't any smiles, just frowns resting on their faces.

"I think it's about time I finally take care of you, Tsunayoshi, before you decide to cause me anymore trouble."


End file.
